Star Wars: The Old Republic: Rogue Jedi
by dominicgrim
Summary: Almost two decades before the return of the Sith Empire, a Jedi youngling is lost, forced to survive in a world far from the order. It is a world of joy and pain, friends and enemies, and through hardship, and the power of the Force, the boy will be changed, he will be...A Rogue Jedi. Rated T for language, violence, and adult situations. I do not own Star Wars, I just play here.
1. An Ending

**Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Rogue Jedi**

**Before the return of the Sith Empire, decades before the rise of Avaryss, the Jedi Order was uncontested. Under the leadership of the Senate, the Republic met each days bravely, enjoying a time of plenty and expansion, all watched over by the fair and enlightened hand of the Jedi Council. For the core worlds it was a time of great advancement and power. **

**In the outer rim, the Republic sought to share their good fortune, ships carrying Jedi and their students went out among the stars in an attempt to bring the same sense of prosperity and security to those outside the core. **

**It is on one of those ships that our story begins. An unexplained accident changes the destiny of one gifted student of the Force, and puts him on a path none of his fellows in the order would consider normal.**

**It was here that the Rogue Jedi's tale begins.**

**Chapter 1: An Ending**

There is no death, there is the Force.

The boy had been taught to believe those words. His earlies memories were of hearing the Jedi Code, of playing in the temple with his brother and their fellows. Every game, every challenge carefully designed to prepare them for adulthood, to not only give themselves to the Force, but to be willing to let go and become one with it when the time came.

It should have been easy; it should not have left him daunted. All life ended, that was the way of things, the way of the Force.

Yet, in that moment, the boy was not quite ready to surrender himself to that fate. He refused to give up, there had to be way of out this, a way to survive.

He believed in the code. He believed that there was no death, only the Force, but that did not mean that he would just simply lay back and accept his fate. He had only seen nine years.

He refused to accept that that would be the full total of his life.

He once again opened his eyes and searched his surroundings. The wailing emergency sirens had finally stopped. The crimson glow of emergency lighting still burned, but he knew that that would not last for long. The section of the ship where he was trapped was likely on emergency battery power now, and how long that would last he could not say. The bulk head doors both before and behind him had slid shut, saving him from explosive decompression, but those doors closing had only delayed the inevitable.

When the power finally gave out, so to would the lights and gravity, the air trapped in here would last for a while, but it would not sustain him indefinitely.

All around him the ship was breaking up, every once and a while the deck would shudder beneath his feet.

How long would it be until the ship's integrity finally failed, how long would it be until some power conduit overloaded and blasted him to atoms?

Fear again tried to rise in his chest. Part of him wanted to cry, to wail for the masters, to beg someone to save him.

It took everything he knew just to deny that desire. He may have been a child, but he was also to be a Jedi.

A Jedi did **not** panic.

_Don't think about it_, the boy thought to himself, _you're not dead yet, as long as you draw breath, there is a hope, a chance to live._

He did not intend to waste that chance.

To the unenlightened, it would seem that he was doing nothing. He knelt before the bulkhead with his eyes closed. He willed himself to remain calm, to forget about the fear he was feeling, and pain in his right arm. It had been burned when the bulk head that had stopped him from reaching the escape pod exploded. He did not think it broken, but the pain was a distraction.

_Move past it,_ the voice of his masters rang in his ears;_ the pain you are feeling is of the physical world. You are not just flesh; you are a luminous being, bound by the Force. You must use the Force._

The boy continued to reach out, to focus all his will.

He was trying to save himself.

He could do nothing to restore the doomed ship, but he was not without options. He was not entirely sure how long he had laid unconscious on the deck, but one thing was certain, his brother was still out there somewhere, he could feel it.

Now…he simply had to reach out with the Force, and contact him.

It should have been easy; the bond between identical twins was strong.

Yet, for some reason…the force remained silent.

The boy frowned.

His brother was **not** reaching out.

His call for help was going unanswered.

He was not sure what to make of that. Both of them had been given to the Jedi Order as infants. Both had trained for years to become Jedi. A few short years ago, his brother would have heard his call from anywhere, but now…for some reason, all was silent.

Brother, he whispered into the sea of light that was the Force.

_Hear me…brother._

_**Brother?**_

Again he felt nothing, only the barest acknowledgement that his brother still lived. He still lived, but was far away.

Again despair threatened to rise up and consume him.

_Did his twin believe him dead? Had he been hurt during the evacuation? Was he unconscious? Was that why he did not respond to his twin's call?_

_Was that why he could not hear his brother's cry for help?_

The boy remembered running, alarms blaring overhead as the ship was beginning to break up. Masters Kla and Bellagus guiding them to the escape pods, sealing the bulk heads behind them.

_It was okay_ Master Kla had promised them, _there was plenty of time to make it to the escape pods._

_There had been plenty of time._

The boy had stopped to help one of his fellows, he had gotten separated from his brother, when the ship lurched again he had fallen, by the time he had regained his feet, the others had been aboard the escape pod.

He had seen his brother reaching out, calling his name. He had been shouting for him to hurry.

The boy had risen; he had run towards the pod. Master Kla and his brother had both been calling to him. He was almost there. He was almost.

He felt a tremor in the Force.

The deck plate before him flew up, striking him hard.

He had been flung back when another explosion shook the dying ship.

The last thing the boy remembered was his brother calling out, shouting his name.

After that…all there had been was darkness.

He had awoken alone, the section of the ship he was in sealed off, but losing power.

He had been alone.

He was all alone.

Despite his training, despite years of being taught to control his emotions, the young boy sniffled.

There was no death, there was the Force, he knew that…but…

But…

_He did not want to die._

It wasn't right. It wasn't fair.

This was not how it was supposed to be.

He was to have been a Jedi, a Jedi.

How could the Force do this to him?

He was supposed to have completed this trip, helped to bring the light of the Force to the worlds along this tour. There were worlds on the rim that could benefit from being brought into the Republic. They were to have been their ambassadors, bringing not only prosperity but order and justice as well.

They were supposed to have shone the light of the Force on those worlds.

They were to have been heroes.

He was supposed to have returned to the Jedi temple. Master Venari of the Jedi Council had approached him, talked to him about becoming his Padawan learner next year.

His life had been all planned out. He would have been on the Jedi Council by the time he was thirty, now…now…

…now…it was all gone.

_What had happened?_

_Where had it all gone wrong?!_

There was another loud rumble beneath his feet. He pressed his good hand to the deck plate.

It was warmer, not hot yet, but…

The boy frowned.

_That was **not** a good sign._

The boy tried to remain calm, screaming and panicking would yield nothing except to help exhaust what air remained, which was, he feared, already starting to become stale.

He tried to remember everything he had learned at the temple. He tried to draw on the Force for strength.

There were some masters he knew who could slow their hearts down to a beat every few minutes. He wished that he could do that, it would preserve his air; it might also allow him to go deeper into the Force, aid him in contacting his brother, or anyone.

It was in that moment that he felt frustration, anger, and with it, something else, something cold and sure footed.

It seemed to peer right into his soul.

"You are fooling yourself, no one is coming. You have to save yourself. Give into fear, turn it into anger, into power, open up, and you can be saved."

The boy shuddered.

The masters talked about that, the dark side, powers that were quicker than the ones the order offered.

If he gave into those powers, would he have the strength to save himself?

The thought made his mouth go dry.

He imagined drawing on the Force, pulling the wreckage he was trapped in out into the space lanes, being able to reach out across half the galaxy and summon help.

And if help did not come, if there were those that decided not to come, the darkness offered the power to punish them, to grind them into dust for their cowardice, to…to…

The boy blinked.

No.

Never.

The cost was too high.

He took a shuddering breath.

The darkness offered damnation not salvation.

He would not give into its call.

Never.

The boy sat back down on the deck, it continued to grow warmer, his wounded arm continued to throb, he ignored it.

He took a deep breath and tried to find his center again, to meditate and slip into the Force, to reach out and try to call for help.

"I am here," he murmured, "I'm still alive. Help me. Help.

The boy breathed deeply.

_I am here._

_Help._

IOI

He was not sure how much time passed. One tended to get lost when one drew deeply on the Force, one tended to lose track of time.

The broken ship shuddered again, only this time, the view port behind him filled with light. The section in which the boy was trapped shuddered and moved forward. He rose from his meditation and ran to the viewport.

The large boxy freighter filled the viewport; its running lights lit the confines of the boy's prison.

He giggled. He…he…

Yes.

Yes!

I'm saved!

The ship was clearly not a Republic craft, its brown armor plates scarred and melted in several places. Off to the left and right two smaller craft with grasping arms were picking through the debris cloud left by the destruction of the Jedi ship.

_Salvagers,_ the boy realized, _even better._

He smiled.

Salvagers would have to go to a civilized world to sell their cargo. It would be no problem at all to find transport there; they might even have a functioning hyper-comm on board.

He could contact the temple; let them know he had survived.

He could be back home in days. DAYS!

He tried to keep from laughing from jumping with joy.

Thank the Force, he thought.

I'm saved.

The deck shuddered beneath him as the freighter's tractor finally drew what was left of his prison to where it could be reached by the freighter's crew. The boy stepped away from the view port, reaching down to smooth out his robes, and make himself look presentable.

He caught his reflection in the deck plate.

He sighed.

It was not much better than it usually was.

The boy was small for his age, dark of hair and grey of eye. His features were bland and would likely never be considered memorable or handsome. The brown tunic and trousers he wore were stained with both grease and blood.

He idly pulled against the Padawan braid in his hair.

_I look like a refugee,_ he thought, _or someone who has just survived an accident, which is unsurprising._

He just had survived and accident, but the important thing was that he had.

He was still alive.

There were a loud bang at the blast door behind him, he might have been wrong, but thought he heard voices on the other side, that and the sound of heavy tools being brought to bear.

The boy took a deep breath and tried to stand patiently, to await his rescuers arrival. It would not do to simply run into their arms sobbing like an infant.

He was still a Jedi Student.

He would act as such.

He…

There was another loud bang.

The blast door popped loudly and retracted, light and steam rolled into the section that held the boy. He heard rough voices, and the sound of heavy boots.

The boy stepped forward.

"Greetings," he called out, "I'm…"

He did not get the chance to finish.

A heavy gauntleted wrist struck him across the jaw, stars filled his eyes as he was knocked back, he came down hard on the deck, his jaw clicked from the impact.

The boy shook his head, trying to clear it.

What the...?

Two powerful hands, seized him lifted him up by the front of his tunic.

The boy's eyes widened as he looked into his "rescuer's" face.

Oh no.

It was one of the largest men he had ever seen, a giant, perhaps almost seven feet tall, and wrapped in armor plate, a dome like helmet covering the man's head. At first, the boy thought it might be a droid, but then he got a better look at the helmet, and the T-shaped visor that hid the creature's features.

The boy's eyes widened.

_Mandalorians_, he thought.

_Killers._

_Butchers._

It had been almost three hundred years since the last Mandalorian War had ended. The clans had been defeated by the Jedi, but never fully broken. They remained a source of trouble for the Republic, them and their so-called, warrior code.

The Mandalorians worshipped strength, and preyed on the weak and helpless. They were monsters, no better than the now extinct Sith.

They were animals.

A dark chuckle escaped from beneath the helmet.

"Looks like we got a live one here, boys," the giant said,

He began to tighten his grip on the boy's throat; it was like an iron vice, squeezing the life out of him.

As dark spots danced before his eyes he heard the brute laugh.

"Don't worry, I'll fix it."

He beat feebly at the man's powerful arms; he tried to call on the Force to no avail. The darkness reached out for him, pulling him under he...

"Turn him loose."

"Nuna. I…"

"Turn him loose, **now!"**

The pressure came away from his throat. He sank to the deck like a stone.

The boy lay coughing on the deck. He sucked in air, both the stale air from his prison, and the new air coming through the ship's open air lock.

The boy blinked and look around.

The Mandalorian who had been choking him was glaring down at him; at least he thought he was; it was kind of hard to see with that helmet…

…Him and one other.

She was almost a head shorter than the one that attacked him, smaller and without a helmet, but that did not make her any less implacable as the one who had struck him. The woman's red hair was streaked with grey, her left cheek marred by the scar of a blade cut. Her armor was painted a dull yellow, and pitted and scarred. She wore a blaster pistol on each hip, and what looked like a rocket pack on her back.

"What is this," she said, "A boy?"

The giant snarled.

"Look at his robes, Nuna, look at his hair, _that_ braid."

The large man snorted.

"It is a Jedi pup. Let us kill it and be done with it."

The woman turned her head, her eyes as cold and dark as Mandalorian iron.

"Do you fear this one, Targo?" she asked, "This boy, who is not even armed?"

"He is a Jedi pup," Targo hissed, "Pups grow up to be Jedi dogs! Better that we put this one out of our misery."

The woman, Nuna, spat.

Where is the rest of your pack, pup?" she demanded, "Where there is one Jedi there is usually others?"

The boy coughed, he…he was not sure what to say.

Mandalorians were not allies of the Jedi, but at the same time, if he said nothing, _did_ nothing.

The woman might decide to let the giant have his way.

The boy did not want that.

"Alone," he said in a small voice, "They left me."

The female Mandalorian nodded.

"Abandoned," she said, "Thought as much."

She turned to the giant.

"Just as you were when I found you, Targo. Do you remember that?"

The giant snarled and retreated.

"Don't say that I did not warn you, captain," he spat, "This will not end well."

"I'll take my chances," the woman said.

She looked down upon the boy.

"I'm known as Mother Nuna," she informed him, "You just met Targo. We are to salvage this wreck."

She gave him a cold smile.

"Now what should I do with you?"

The boy was not sure what to say.

Mandalorians were no friends of the Jedi, but perhaps she could be convinced..."

It was worth a try.

"You could let me go," he said, "Drop me off at the first planet you came to."

The older woman laughed.

"I could also leave you here," she said, "That would be one way of letting you go, wouldn't it? We could just take what we wanted and leave it to space to see to you."

The boy did not answer.

That would not be his first choice of ways that the woman could let him go.

She smiled slightly.

"Relax, boy," I do not make it a habit of abandoning children, if I did, half of my crew would not be with me."

It was then that he noticed the others who had come in with Mother Nuna, _her_ crew.

The boy pursed his lips.

Most did not look over the age of twenty one. A collection of males and females, humans and aliens, some wore armor like Targo and Mother Nuna, but most were dressed simply, overalls, or shirts with trousers.

Foundlings, he wondered.

Or were they slaves?

Mother Nuna chuckled.

"Your order does not pay bounties for lost pups. If I was to take you back they would likely arrest me for some piddlely thing or another. Yet, you do need transport, yes, both off this wreck and to some place safe, some place with water and food?"

The boy nodded what else could he do?

He had no desire to stay here, and it would be useless to try and fight the woman or her crew, and besides.

He did not feel the same darkness that he felt from Targo. Mother Nuna was hard, but she was not dark.

As far as rescuers go, he could do worse.

"I'm no slaver, boy," she said, "But nor am I a charity worker. You want food, lodging, transport; you will have to earn it like everyone else here. Everyone does their part, no slacking; I have no need for more cargo at the moment. You wanna eat you do your part. Do that…and you just might make it through this."

The boy was not sure what to make of this.

These people…he was not sure really what they were. Salvagers? Pirates?

He could **not** be a pirate! He was to be a Jedi! He was to be on the council one day!

How could a Jedi help people like this!

Part of him wanted to say no, to take his chances in the void, with the Force as his ally, but in the end, his desire to live would not let him.

He found himself nodding.

Mother Nuna smiled.

"Good on you, boy," she said, "But first."

She pulled a blade from her belt; he tensed for a moment not sure what she was going to do.

She reached out and cut the braid from his hair, letting it drift down to the deck.

"We can't have you walking around with that thing," she informed him, "Targo is going to be annoyed enough by your presence. No need to antagonize him further."

He nodded.

It made sense but.

He shivered.

What am I doing?

What am I going to do?

_Earn your keep,_ his conscience said, _Work hard and stay alive until you can get back to the order. You did not wish to die, and the Force answered your prayer._

Don't throw away that chance now.

He managed a weak smile,

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

She touched his wounded arm, despite his desire to do otherwise, he squeaked.

It throbbed painfully.

"First we get you to the infirmary; Ives will get you fixed up. Coop?! Coop! Where are you boy?!

Another boy about his age hurried into the corridor, he had shoulder length black hair, blue eyes and a merry smile.

"Yeah, Mom," he said, "You need something?"

"I called you didn't I," Mother Nuna said, though there were little heat in her voice.

She smiled at the newcomer.

"Take this one to Ives," she said, "When he has been checked out, show him around, make sure that he doesn't touch anything he is not supposed to touch. He will be working with you from now on. Make sure he learns the ropes."

The boy nodded.

"Sure thing, Mom, whatever you say," he said,

She nodded and turned back to her newest crew member.

"Off with you now lad, I have work to do."

"Yes, ma'am," the boy said respectfully.

Mother Nuna gestured for him to leave as another crew member drew her attention.

The boy followed the one she had called Coop, he led him into the hold of the salvager's freighter. He glanced up and saw the giant, Targo, glaring at him.

The boy looked away quickly.

"Don't worry about Targo," Coop said, "He would never go against Mom's orders; he is not that stupid."

The boy tried not to laugh at that.

Targo likely could have broken Coop in half.

It was hard to believe that he would risk calling the big Mandalorean stupid.

The two boys walked together. They passed other crew members who did not give them a second look.

Apparently, the boy realized, I'm not the only stray that mother Nuna has picked up.

Coop offered him his hand.

"I'm Gabe; by the way," he said, "Gabe Cooper, Mom, and my friends, call me Coop, what is your name?"

The boy pursed his lips, he did not want to be friendly with these people, if he needed to escape he might need to…

_That is for later_, he thought, _for now, it is important that they come to trust you._

He took the other boy's hand.

"Pleased to meet you Coop, I'm Jas…Jas Dar Bynn."

Coop's eyes brightened.

"Welcome aboard, Jas, hope you survive the experience."

Despite the words, Jas felt only amusement from the other boy.

Perhaps this would not be as bad as he feared.

"Me too," he said.

If a boy like Coop could survive this, than so could he.

He was going to be a Jedi after all.

He could do this.

Yes.

Jas Dar Bynn smiled.

He could do this.


	2. The Rescue

**Chapter 2: The Rescue**

"You really got to teach me that."

Jas smiled as he continued to meditate, or rather…tried to meditate. Coop may have been one of his best friends, but he did have his flaws, chief among them, the understanding that meditation was about focusing on the Force, not the physical world.

Oh well, if anything he had taught Jas how to deal with distractions.

He kept his eyes closed, and continued his controlled breathing

"You know the breathing techniques," he reminded his friend, "You already know how to meditate."

Though he could not see Coop's face, he knew that the other boy was frowning.

"Yeah, but stuff doesn't float around the room when I meditate," he said glumly.

"That is one trick that I haven't learned yet."

Nor would you, Jas thought.

All the meditation in the galaxy would not make Gabe Cooper Force sensitive. He knew that, of course, but that did not mean that he would not comment on it from time to time.

There were those in clan Nuna who would have preferred that Jas forgot his Force sensitivity, that he forgot his Jedi training entirely, and that he focus on his work and his place within the clan.

Jas Dar Bynn couldn't do that. The Force was everywhere it surrounded him and bound him.

He could no more forget about the Force than he could stop breathing.

It was part of who he was.

Despite their rather…interesting beginning, Clan Nuna had been good to him; Mother Nuna had been good to him. They were not like the Mandalorians he had read about in the archives. They didn't ravage planets or prey on innocent civilians.

For the most part the clan kept to itself, Jas did not know all the details, but he did know that the clan had been exiled from Mandalore. Some clan struggle had broken out, and Mom and her kin had been on the losing side. They had retreated into space to try to rebuild what they had lost, seeking out materials and foundlings to try and rebuild their numbers.

For the most part they were salvagers, searching the various hyperspace routes for anything they could use to make the clan strong again. They also recruited heavily, taking in the lost and unwanted; most of these were children, children that struggled to survive on the various stations and backwater worlds that the clan visited.

Jas had lost count of all the children they had taken in the last four years. Some remained on ship, while the younger ones were taken into safe houses, to be raised and the taught the way of the clan.

In time they would join the crew, just as Jas had.

It was not the worst way to live.

He took another deep breath and opened his eyes, the objects that had been floating around him clattered to the floor. Coop lay in his bunk watching his friend. They had been roommates now for almost four years.

The two had grown comfortable in each other's company.

Jas picked up the things that had moved during his meditations. Mom didn't care that he practiced his techniques, but she did ask that he not leave a mess. She also cautioned him about who saw him doing them. Most of them didn't care, but a few of them, namely Targo and several of the other pure Mandalorians, still viewed him as an enemy.

They tended to view anyone with Jedi knowledge as an enemy.

As his roommate Coop had seen it all at this point. When Jas had first arrived he had been extremely curious about the Jedi way, and had many questions. Even though he had only been a Padawan, Jas had tried his best to answer. Gabe had heard many wild tales about the Jedi, both from the clan and from his life before, not that his friend spoke of what he had been like before all this. He had been born in the Republic, Jas knew that much, but little else.

Coop did not talk about his family. In fact he seemed to radiate pain every time someone mentioned family.

Jas did not know why, but he had come to like Coop over the last few years.

He respected his friend's privacy, when the time came, when he was ready, he would tell Jas about it.

If the Force was willing.

Jas sighed and sank down into his place on the bottom bunk.

As he lay in his bunk he could feel the gentle rumble of the ship beneath them, normally the sound would be much louder, but they were currently running on low power…hiding.

Jas frowned.

It seemed like they were doing that more and more lately.

The Republic had assigned a new officer to patrol the hyper lanes where Clan Nuna functioned. Captain Rakkas was a Mon Cala, and could be as cold as the oceans from which he had come.

The Fish, as he was called here, had a special hatred for those that hunted on the space lanes. Pirates, smugglers, or salvagers, it did not matter, Rakkas hunted them all, and it was rumored that he was not above destroying a ship if he got the opportunity. Jas knew of at least two vessels that had vanished, one a smuggler, one a fellow salvager. The Nuna crew had received a distress call from the latter, claiming it was under attack by a warship, but by the time they had arrived, the ship was nothing but wreckage. The weapon's signature suggested military grade arms, Republic weapons.

There was nothing the clan could do, there had not even been enough left of the ship to salvage.

The sight had surprised Jas.

He had always been taught that the Republic was a beacon of hope, a light in the darkness, that one of its servants would destroy a ship just because they did not like the people on board seemed terribly dark.

Jas was not sure what to make of that.

Four days ago they had been…liberating some goods from a droid freighter that had been damaged passing too close to a nebula. They had almost been done when Rakkas' cruiser had arrived. The Mon Cala had said nothing, no warning, no demand that they surrender. He had simply opened fire, blindly.

It was only after they tried to flee that he had contacted them. Ordering them to stand down or be destroyed.

Knowing the man's history, Mother Nuna had not complied. Their ship fled, leading the Republic vessel on a merry chase; finally they took sanctuary in an asteroid field. You could say what you wanted about their pilot Domar, but that man knew how to fly.

The Republic cruiser was too big to enter, but that did not mean that they had given up. Rakkas had deployed probe droids to search the rocks for his quarry. The metal composition of the rocks helped shield the clan vessel from Republic scanners, but they had still needed to be careful. Now, the cruiser sat off their starboard bow, just waiting for them to come out.

It had become a waiting game now, Mother Nuna versus the Republic Captain.

It remained to be seen who was more patient.

Some of the crew wanted to try and make a run for it, but Mom overruled them. The Republic ship had them outgunned at least four to one.

For the moment, hiding was their best move.

For almost three days now they had hidden, something would have to give soon. Their food and fuel reserves were not limitless, but then again, so were the Republic vessel's supplies. He could not afford to wait forever either. He no doubt had other places to be, how long until his superiors contacted him and told him to return to his patrol. So far Rakkas had not called for any reinforcements, but that was not surprising, the Fish would want as few witnesses as possible if he decided to blow Clan Nuna to atoms.

"How long do you think the Fish is going to wait?' Coop asked him from the top bunk.

"Who could say, as long as his superiors will allow I suspect," Jas replied.

Coop snorted angrily.

"If he was going to do something I wish he would just do it already! This waiting is torture.

"At least we are all still alive," Jas answered.

"True," the other boy agreed, "I'm just saying there are other things I would rather be doing right now than hiding in a field of rocks."

He sighed.

"What do you think Randa is doing right now?"

Jas smiled.

Randa Halcyon was the daughter of a ship mechanic that helped out Clan Nuna sometimes. The pretty little blonde was fourteen and pretty as a picture. Coop would not admit it, but he fancied her. Yet, so far he had not worked up the courage to talk to her when the clan had stopped to see her father.

"She is probably out with Firmus," Jas said dryly.

The bunk above him shifted as his friend sat up.

"Firmus," he said, Firmus? The guy is as dumb as a hydro-spanner. Why would Randa want to go out with him?"

Jas laughed.

"I don't think she would," he replied, "The girl is too smart for that, but then again, that doesn't explain why she talks to you every time we stop."

Ha Ha," Coop grumbled, Jas could imagine him shaking his head, and chuckled.

He was not above having a little innocent fun at his friend's expense.

No one had ever said a Jedi was forbidden a bit of friendly teasing now and again.

Coop sighed.

"One of these days, Jas," he said, "One of these days you're going to be interested in some femm, and I'm going to go out of my way to torture you over her."

Jas chuckled.

Unlikely.

He may have been a thirteen year old boy, but he was also a trained Padawan. Desire and passion were…forbidden, that fact had been drilled into him since he had been a youngling. He felt kinship with others, and could form friendships, but that was not the same thing.

He sighed.

In the last few months he had sensed a…_interest_ from several of the girls that served with them. Wylla was the daughter of one of the crew's warriors; she had tried to get his attention several times. Then there had been Salla, she worked down in engineering, a sweet girl to be sure, but shy.

During salvage missions she had often tried to get put on the same team as Jas. He tried not to encourage her, but…

He did not want to hurt her; he did not want to hurt any of them. He saw her as a sibling, just as he had the girls that he had trained with in the Jedi Temple.

He did not want to do or say anything that would make things awkward.

Jas put the thought of the girls out of his mind. He found himself reaching out with the Force, _trying_ to reach out with the Force.

He wanted to get a sense of what the Republic ship might do next.

He found himself thinking about the possibility of contacting them, letting them know he was here. If the clan were taken into custody, he would finally be able to find his way back to the Republic, back into the Jedi Order.

_I don't belong here_, he thought, _he was friends with these people, but a Jedi owed more to the galaxy than he did to himself. _

He had a _duty_ to perform. He had a _responsibility._

Shouldn't he do everything in his power to get back to that?

As he reached out with the Force, he tried to probe the Republic vessel, he had hoped that another Jedi might have been on board, that he could make contact with them. Another Jedi's presence would make this easier. He would also check the Fish's aggression. Jas did not want to see the Clan hurt. He was…

He gasped.

For one fleeting moment he had made contact with the mind of Captain Rakkas. He had sensed the man's desire. He was aware of the Nuna ship, what they had been doing. Jas sensed no mercy in the Captain and a dark desire to see the ship destroyed, whether it surrendered or not.

He also sensed satisfaction. One of the probes had gotten lucky; a second vessel was inbound, smaller than the Cruiser, with enough firepower to…"

Jas shot out of his bunk. His quickness shocked his roommate.

"Jas? What the?"

Jas did not respond, he did not have time, he flung open the hatch and darted into the corridor.

_I have to get to the bridge_, he thought.

_I have to warn them._

No alarms blazed overhead, why would they? What Jas has felt had come through the Force.

The alarm in his head was enough.

"**Make a hole!"** he shouted as he rushed past his fellow crewers. Most of the people here were seasoned fighters; they knew how to get out of the way quickly when they needed to.

_They need to_, Jas thought; _we have to get out of here, __**now!**_

He moved faster than he ever had before. He even tried to call on the Force to speed him on his way.

How much time? He could not say for certain, but now that he knew of the threat the Force continued to call out, warning him.

They were all going to die!

He cleared the ladder to the cockpit with a single leap. The hatch slip open and he nearly fell on the way in.

Targo looked up from the weapon's station; his helmet hid his face, but not his emotions.

Sounds of surprise came from the various stations, no one was allowed up here when the ship had gone silent.

It was Targo that responded first. His dislike of Jas had not lessened.

"Get out of here, runt," he shouted, "No kids on the bridge during combat situations, you know that."

He did, but this was different.

Mother Nuna turned away from the helm; she had been looking over Domar's shoulder, looking for a new course when the Fish finally chose to leave.

_We don't have that time, now_, Jas knew.

They were out of time period.

"Jas," Mother Nuna said.

"What is going on?"

"The Fish knows were here," he gasped, out of breath from his run, "He has a ship moving in from behind us. They are going to pin us between them, they are going to destroy the ship."

Mom frowned. No doubt she was considering what he had said.

Mother Nuna was no fool, she was willing to consider all possibilities; she had needed to if the clan was going to survive.

She gave the young boy a questioning look.

"That is Bantha poodoo," Targo growled, "the kid has lost his nerve, or he is trying to give us away."

"I'm not," Jas gasped.

"I swear."

Mom stepped away from the helm station and went to his side. She pinned him with that hard gaze of hers, the one that had turned many of their clan to jelly.

"How do you know this?" she demanded.

"I…I felt it." he replied.

"Jedi tricks," Targo spat.

"None of that now," Mother Nuna said cutting him off.

She continued to stare at Jas, considering what he had told her.

Why would you tell us?" she said is a small voice.

"Mom we don't have the…"

"Why Jas?"

The boy shook his head, they did not have time for this; the other Republic vessel could be here at any moment. He could feel the danger approaching.

She won't do anything until I answer her question, he realized.

Fine.

He would bloody well answer.

"I don't want you to die," he said quickly, "I don't want any of us to."

Mother Nuna nodded.

Her decision was made.

"Bring the power back online and spin up the hyperdrive," she ordered.

"We're leaving."

Jas sighed.

"The little rat is **selling** us out," Targo spat, "He wants us to give up our location. He wants them to find us!"

"If you believe that, then stay ready on the weapons systems, Targo. We don't need to hold that ship off for long, just long enough to clear the rocks and make the jump."

She turned back to Jas and pinned him with a hard stare.

"You better be right about this boy."

He nodded.

He was.

He was sure of it.

He stayed at Mother Nuna's side as ship prepared to get underway. The Republic cruiser had detected their power signature but was not moving to pursue.

They don't need to, Jas thought; they think they already have us. They…

"Contact! Contact at point six five," the crewer on the scanners called out, "Republic Assault frigate moving in, it's trying to get in behind us."

Jas let out the breath he had not realized he had been holding.

An assault frigate, a ship just small enough to make it through the rocks, he thought, not strong enough to kill us itself, but if it had caught us unaware, damaged our engines and forced into the asteroids, we would have been space dust.

"Time until it is in weapons range?" Mother Nuna asked.

"Two minutes until weapons range."

Mom nodded.

"Status on the hyperdrive?"

"One point five minutes, Mom."

Mother Nuna cursed.

It was a race then.

"It was at that moment that their communicator crackled to life, a harsh gravelly voice filled the bridge.

"This is Captain Rakkas of the Galactic Republic to unidentified ship; you are to power down your shields and prepare to be boarded. You are in violation of legal code 3 section…"

The comm officer cut him off, the ship rumbled beneath them as they continued to move away from the rocks. Still the Mon Cala held his fire.

The Frigate was still moving in.

There was a loud rumble beneath their feet; the ship lurched, slowing slightly.

"Report," Mother Nuna asked.

"The frigate is trying to lock on its tractor beam," the nav-officer shouted, "But I don't get it, we are too big to be pulled in."

Jas watched as Mom went to the Nav console, looking at what was happening.

"They're not trying to pull us in," she said, "They are trying to lock us down, hold us steady."

Her eyes narrowed.

"They're going to set us up for the Fish to blast us to pieces."

Jas could not see what she saw, but he could sense what was happening through the Force.

The Republic cruiser was moving, its weapons hot and ready.

Rakkas had no intention of taking them alive.

He was going to blast them to bits.

"Time to jump?" Mother asked grimly.

"Thirty seconds!"

"I don't think we are going to make it!"

"Stow that talk."

"Lights flashed outside the viewport, the cruiser was still out of range for a clear shooting solution, but it was closing in.

"Domar," Mother Nuna said was a testy edge in her voice.

"We are almost there," the pilot promised.

More flashes, the ship bucked underneath them.

"Domar," she repeated.

"Almost," he said.

"DOMAR!"

"NOW!"

The pilot pulled back the levers as the ship finally cleared the last asteroid.

The stars turned to lines as the ship leapt forward.

The swirling blue of hyperspace filled the viewport.

Jas let out a sigh of relief.

They had done it.

They were safe.

Sounds of relief and celebration filled the bridge. Whoops of joy, and pats on the back.

Targo's T-visored helmet remained focused on Jas, as always the mask gave up nothing of what the big Mandalorian was thinking.

His emotions remained cold and hard where Jas was concerned.

Perhaps they always would.

Mother Nuna patted Doran and the nav officer on the shoulder, both had earned their shares today.

Finally her eyes found Jas Dar Bynn.

He shifted uncomfortably under her hard gaze.

"You have the bridge Targo," she said, before heading for the hatch.

"Jas…come with me."

The boy winced.

Of all of the crew, Mom was usually the hardest to read through the Force.

He felt both…gratitude, and disappointment. He understood both.

She was grateful for the warning, but was not pleased to see that he was still clinging to the Jedi way. She had hoped that he would have moved past it by now, that he would come to embrace his new life as a member of the clan.

Part of him wanted to. He was grateful for what they had done for him, for rescuing him, and welcoming into their world, but at the same time.

He was bound to the Force; such a bond was not easily thrown away or forgotten.

He followed behind her, not sure what was going to be happening in the next few minutes.

He did not want to disappoint her; she had been good to him.

Yet, he could not change what he was.

He was a Jedi.

It was what he had been born to be.

**A/N: Sorry about the time between updates. I've been watching the Mandalorian and was hoping for some material for life in one of their clans. Jas' story has not been abandoned, and hopefully chapter 3 will be up sooner.**

**Until next time dear readers:**

**DG**


	3. The Beginning

**A/N: I did borrow a bit from **_**The Mandalorian**_** with this chapter. I love that show's take on these people, and what it means to be a part of their culture. Anyway here is chapter 3. Happy Holidays everyone!**

**Chapter 3: The Beginning**

Jas fidgeted as he finally found his way into Mother Nuna's quarters. In all the years that he had been here, the young man had never needed to come to this place, despite his resistance to what Mother Nuna and the rest of the clan were trying to teach him, he had never been told to come before her, never told that they needed to speak privately.

Though he was not afraid, he was…concerned.

He knew how the others felt about his Jedi training, how they had hoped that he would let it all go and embrace his life and role within the clan, as so many others of had done before him.

He could shoot a blaster, but it never felt right in his hands. The wrist rockets and flamethrowers common among the clan skirmishers always felt clumsy to him. He liked the smart rope, both most of his clan mates saw his use of that was an insult. If he was not willing to use every tool in the arsenal of the Mandalorians he should not be able to use a single one.

When he did train for combat, he preferred to work with the blade masters. They might not have been Jedi, but they did know the way of the sword, there forms and discipline were different from the ones that he had studied. The basics they taught were similar to the Shii-Cho of the Jedi, but beyond that, the fighting styles of the Mandalorians was far more aggressive.

It felt strange training to fight in such a way…wrong somehow.

You are too much of a Jedi to ever be a Mandalorian, pup," Targo had told him once.

He meant it as an insult, but Jas did not see it that way, he was too much of a Jedi.

He could do nothing about that.

Jas could not change what he was, he could not change how he had been brought up before finding his way here, the Jedi…the teachings…they were a part of him.

He could no more abandon them then he could stop breathing the air.

He was grateful for everything that Mother Nuna had done, everything that the clan had given him, but he could not, and would not give up the Force, he couldn't.

The light was not something he could simply forget, it was a part of him, and it had always been there.

It had always been there, and always would be…until the day he drew his final breath.

It was the way of things, the way of the Force.

Mother Nuna's quarters were not simply just a living space; they were a look back into the history of the Mandalorian woman and her long storied clan. A beskar representation of a skull the legendary maiosaur decorated the back wall; around it sat many trophies and banners taken during the glories of the clan's past. A weapon rack adorned with blades and blasters stood to the left of her desk, the simple black surface reflected Jas' image back at him, it was as clear and shiny as a deep black pool.

The reflection that looked back at him was far different than the one that he had seen when he had first been rescued by the clan years ago.

A boy had been brought aboard all those months ago…but it was a young man that now stared back at him.

Jas Dar Bynn was not quite sure what to make of that.

Had he stayed in the temple, his life would have been very different from what it had been up to this point.

Now…he could no longer say if he would be welcome there now. The things he had seen the things he had done.

Perhaps it was too much for someone who had hoped to be a Jedi knight? Perhaps he had been corrupted and was no longer worthy of ever holding that title?

He feared that he would never know.

Mother Nuna arrived a few moments later, beyond the viewport, hyperspace continued to swirl.

Jas stood patiently waiting, waiting for Mother Nuna to make her decision, what she was going to do with him. It would not take long; she was never one to hesitate when a hard choice had to be made.

He did not think that she would hesitate now.

The scarred Mandalorian woman took a seat behind her desk; her eyes were cold and unreadable. When Jas tried to sense her emotions all he felt was distance…distance and curiosity.

He was not sure what to make of that?

She sat back in her chair, evaluating the young man in the shirt and coveralls. He looked no different than a hundred other human boys found in the galaxy.

Looks, Jas know, could be deceiving.

Mother Nuna sighed; he felt a sense of disappointment.

He frowned.

He had not wanted to disappoint her, despite what had he had endured, he owed her much.

He had never desired to disappoint her.

"What am going to do with you boy?" she asked,

"You continue to resist."

Jas shrugged, he did not want to disappoint her, but saw no way not to, not at this point.

"I can't change what I am Mom," he said, "I'm sorry, but I just can't."

She nodded.

"I had hoped that we had gotten you early enough. I had hoped that you would have been able to let go of what you had learned from your Jedi Masters, to embrace what it meant to be a member of Clan Nuna, to take your place among the ranks of the Mandalore."

Jas did not answer.

He did not want to lie to her, and anything besides admitting that he had continued to follow the will of the Force would be a lie.

He did not want to do that to her.

"When we found you, Targo told me that I was wasting my time with you, that you would never accept us, and that you would find a way to either flee or betray us the first chance you got. He said that you would never see us as family, but as those that took you from your home, your people."

Jas sighed.

"I'm grateful for what you gave me, Mom. I'm grateful that you saved me all those years ago."

He shook his head.

"I never wanted to disappoint you, but I fear that is the only thing that I can do."

"I never wanted to make you regret your decision to take me in."

The older woman nodded. Jas expected to feel anger from her at that moment, perhaps she would seek to punish him for his choices, try to force him down the path she wanted him to go.

She did none of those things. In fact, she felt no anger at all, only a sense of gratitude, that and weariness.

She pointed to a large case in the corner, a suit of Mandalorian armor stood proudly on display, its amber surface polished to a mirror shine.

"That armor you see, it belonged to my father, the head of Clan Nuna. For many decades other clans looked at us with a mix of respect and fear. We fought for our people and our Mandalore for generations, giving our lives and our blood to advance our people and our place in the galaxy."

She smiled then, a sad smile.

"A Nuna fought with Mandalore the Indomitable; he helped break the Krath lines. Another of my ancestors fought beside Mandalore the Ultimate when we took Taris and Duro. We were honored then, the glory we won should have kept my family safe until the stars burned out, but it was all gone within a single generation."

Mother Nuna shook her head.

"Have you ever heard the tale, young Jas, do you know what happened to our clan?"

"I can't say that I have Mom. I must confess; most of our clan does not trust me.

"If you were to don a suit of armor, they might?' she suggested.

"Many here would think that an insult," he said, "A Jedi pup clad in the beskar, I would probably get my throat slit for my arrogance."

"That sounds like a threat that Targo would make," she said, "Has he ever threatened you in such a way?"

"Not in so many words," Jas said with a shrug, "But he has made his point many times."

"As far as Targo is concerned, I will never truly be a part of the clan."

Mother Nuna sighed.

"Not everyone is destined to wear the armor," she said, "My brother was not, or at the very least should not have been named head of the clan. When our father died in battle, he took up the mantle of leadership. As the younger sister, I fought at his side. Back then, Clan Nuna were purists, we did not believe in removing our helmets, not around strangers. I had not seen my brother's face since his thirteenth birthday, and he had not seen my face since mine."

"A hard choice," Jas said.

Mother Nuna shrugged.

"It was the way," she said matter of factly.

"We were fighting a splinter faction of Clan Ordo. Once our holdings had belonged to them, and they felt it was their destiny to reclaim what had been lost. My brother believed us invincible. He had grown up on stories of our family's many accomplishments, he thought that the past made him great, invincible."

Jas flinched.

"I take it that he was not?"

"No," she admitted.

"He was not."

"The Ordo had made an alliance with Clan Vizla; they lured us into a box canyon on the surface of Concord Dawn. When we had flown inside they sprung the trap. They fell upon us with superior numbers. Vizla heavy troopers and skirmishers smashed our lines. Wrist rockets and grenades rained down on us. I tried to reach my brother, to try to form a wedge of fighters, to try and punch through and escape."

She sighed.

"He did not listen, he saw the trap as cowardly; all he could think of was that if he fled that all of Mandalore would call him a coward. He fought on, and I, the dutiful sister, fought beside him…right up until the end."

Mother Nuna's eyes narrowed.

"We were both wounded, captured. A hundred and fifty Nuna went into that canyon, only six came out."

She shivered.

"The Ordo knew who we were, that we were both purists. They took our helmets, left our faces bare for all to see. Then they granted us our lives, they said we were not worth killing. That our exile would serve as a lesson to their future enemies. They put us on a broken down ship and sent us away, warning us to never return.

"They declared that Clan Nuna was dead. My brother and I were to live our lives in exile."

From the pain in her voice, Jas suspected what had happened next.

"Where is your brother now?"

"He could not live with the shame of his defeat. He took a job with no chance of survival. I had been off world at the time, looking for foundlings trying to rebuild what we had lost. I was not there to stop him. I was never there to stop him."

Mother Nuna sighed and ran her fingers through her greying red hair.

"Part of me wanted to join him. That was a lean time for us. The few survivors that still clung to the idea of Clan Nuna cramped into a ship barely big enough for ten, much less twenty three. Yet, we did not break, the honor and history of our clan was strong, we stuck together, in spite of my brother's death. The clan looked to me to try and rebuild. Dying a glorious death in battle was not enough, it fell to me to rebuild, to ensure that Clan Nuna survived, that we endured."

Mother Nuna smiled.

"That was ten years ago, now, after years of struggling we finally have the numbers and weapons to begin reclaiming our place once again. The Fish missed his chance to destroy us, he will not get another. It is time that we start living like Mandalorians again. The next generation of our clan's soldiers are ready, now they just need to be tempered, bloodied. We will fight and earn our place on Mandalore again. The clan will finally get to go home."

"And you will be able to return," He said, "Reclaim your honor, and place as the new head of the clan."

Mother Nuna laughed at that, her smile remained, but it was sad.

"I can't go back Jas, my shame remains. My enemies saw my face; I can never show it again under the sun of our homeworld."

"Then why do all this," he asked, "If not to have the chance to return home, why?"

If anyone would understand, boy, I thought it would be you. I did not spend the last ten years building just so that we could be cast out again, because of my failure.

"Targo will lead the clan home. I shall continue my journey, my exile. I will find the lost and the weary and offer them a new life, a life of honor and beskar."

Jas shook his head.

He could not believe what he was hearing.

"You spent ten years restoring your clan, but can never be a part of them when they finally return home."

"It is the way," she said, a sad laugh escaped her lips; she rose and went to a chest beneath the great metal skull on the wall. She opened it up and began to dig inside.

"You had chance today, young Jas. You could have tried to contact that Republic cruiser; you could have tried to escape to return to your people. Yet, you chose to stay…you chose to save the lives of the clan, to preserve it."

She looked over her shoulder at the boy.

"Tell me, Jas; was that Jedi compassion, or Mandalorian honor?"

He blinked.

He was not really sure of the answer.

All he knew was that if he had done nothing, they would have all died. The Mon Cala captain had not cared who was on this ship, he saw only enemies. He wouldn't have shown Jas any more mercy than he would have shown the others.

It had not been much of a choice. He had friends here, and did now want to see them harmed.

"I'm not sure what my motivations were mother," he confessed, "All I knew was that I had to protect this ship, these…people."

He smiled weakly.

"I couldn't just sit back and let you all die."

The old Mandalorian nodded.

"Eventually, you will have to make a decision Jas. You could have a life here if you want one. If you let go of the past and embraced the future you would find a clan that would fight beside you, that would die for you if needed to."

She drew a small bundle out of the back, it was wrapped in brown cloth, about as long as a human forearm.

She nodded.

"You saved lives today, our lives. The clan rewards such service, if you are not meant to wear the armor, allow me to instead thank you by offering you a chance to blaze your own trail."

She put the bundle on the desk, in front of him; he looked down upon it, unsure of what it was.

"Open it," she said, "See if it can help you decide your future."

He did as she bid, he opened the bundle, and his eyes widened when he saw what was inside.

"Oh mother…it is beautiful."

She smiled.

"It has been in clan for many years. I'm not sure when it was taken, but it is time for it to cease simply being a trophy in this room. It is a weapon; it deserves to be in the hands of a warrior, one skilled in its use. It should be striking for something, not simply gathering dust in an old chest.

Jas held it up.

The hilt shone like polished gold, a black leather strap was wrapped around the activator, likely to absorb the perspiration of the user. Through the Force he could feel a bit of its history. There had been a time that this weapon had seen much use, it has served great ideals, peace and justice had been enforced by the one who had forged this, they had fought for others, shielded the weak and the innocent. They had fought up until the very end, when they finally entered the Force, and the weapon came to Clan Nuna…and now…it had come to him.

For the briefest of moments, he felt daunted.

You will never be worthy of this.

You are not the boy you were, the one that dreamed of being on the council, of being Master Venari's apprentice.

This…it is weapon of the Jedi.

You are not worthy to wield it.

The thought made him wince; he almost sat it back down and wrapped it back up, almost handed it back to Mother Nuna.

This was an honor… but…but…

He frowned.

Am I worthy?

Mother Nuna chuckled.

His hesitation amused her.

"What good is a sword if it is never used Jas?" she asked.

He looked up at her, when he was a youngling he had dreamed of possessing such a weapon, imagined the great deeds he would do with it. The many adventures it would protect him and others on.

"One of my masters once said, that I sword that never needs to be used is the best one."

She laughed.

"Sounds like something a Jedi would say," she said dryly.

"A sword does not need to be bloodied to be used," she reminded him, "Sometimes, seeing it is often enough."

He nodded.

She had a point.

Yes.

Now he smiled.

"Did a Mandalorian just admit that sometimes only showing a weapon was enough?"

"I won't say anything if you don't," she replied.

He nodded a smile lighting up his face.

He could do that.

He tightened his fingers around the hilt, feeling the weight, it…it felt right.

This…it felt right.

He rose and turned away from Mother Nuna, his captain, his Mom.

He ignited the blade.

VRMMMM!

A violet colored beam emerged, the lightsaber hummed gently in his hands.

"I will keep it," he promised her, "I…I will wield it with honor."

"I know you will boy," she said, "Both for the clan, and for those that need it."

He nodded as he peered down into the violet light, for the briefest of moment, he almost touched the future, what it was he could not say, it slipped away too quickly, but one thing was for sure…

He had come into this room expecting things to end. That he might have been cast off the ship, have to leave his friends…his family.

Now…he knew the truth.

It was an end…an end to the beginning.

_**His **__beginning._

You are ready, a voice whispered in the back of his mind.

Jas Dar Bynn smiled.

Trust in the Force.


	4. The Pilgrims

**Chapter 4: The Pilgrims**

_The sun sets…and darkness rises._

_The Eternal night returns, strong…and hungry._

_In the darkness only ambition will guide you,_

_As the light fades, only service will save you._

_To serve the champions of the night…is a blessing._

_Prepare for the coming…as the sun sets…forever!_

_AMEN!_

"_**AMEN!"**_ the twenty acolytes and the six priests all shouted out the word. The First Speaker and his Hand stood silently, awaiting the fading of the echo. It was the traditional end of the day's services.

Jas listened as the priest finished his sermon. It had taken him some time to work up the courage to come in here, to see what all the fuss was about.

It was also not as easy as it once was, at ten he had been able to climb through the vents of the clan's freighter with ease, now…almost five years later; it was kind of a tight squeeze.

His days of vent crawling were over he suspected, fortunately he had had one last good crawl in him.

Praise the Force.

He was too big to turn around, so he had been forced to crawl backward, not an easy challenge, even with the Force as his ally, still…he managed to pull it off and make it out of the vents.

He sighed gratefully, happy that he had not gotten stuck, that would have been one embarrassment that he would not have been able to live down. Plus he would have had to explain why he was listening in on the services of the clan's latest clients.

Mom might not have been happy with that.

What he heard…it did not put him at ease, if anything, it increased the warnings in his heart, the warnings that whispered to him through the Force.

Do these people truly think like this, he wondered, did they truly want to serve the darkness?

Maybe he was wrong, maybe the First Speaker's definition of darkness was not the same as the Jedi definition?

One could only hope, he supposed.

One could only hope.

He sighed and quietly replaced the vent cover and left the chamber, grateful that he had not been noticed.

Do not worry about it, his conscience whispered, Mom knows what she is doing.

She would not lead us astray; she would not risk the clan by doing so.

He trusted Mother Nuna, and her choice to aid these people.

He hoped that he was wrong.

He made his way out into the main corridor of the ship, he saw no acolytes around, good, their "guests" asked only for the exclusive use of the ship's forward hold. They asked only for a place where they could prepare for the next stage of their journey, to pray, fast, and conduct their services in peace.

Mother Nuna had granted that request, the crew was ordered not to disturb their new clients…

…Though Jas was starting to wonder if it would have been better if they had.

These people were not like the others the clan had worked with.

They were…different…perhaps dangerous.

Jas Dar Bynn worried.

He was afraid that they had made a mistake this time.

He hoped that they would be able to endure the consequences.

IOI

They called themselves the Sunset Collective. They were religious group that travelled the worlds of the outer rim. Jas had never heard of them before, but that was not really surprising, the outer rim was vast. As the age of expansion continued new faiths were being discovered every week, if not every day. Most of these groups were harmless, merely trying to spread the word of their various deities beyond their home systems. The Republic welcomed most of them; religious freedom was one of the corner stones of the era. The Jedi were also interested in such faiths curious to how other beings saw and, in some cases, used the Force.

Jas Frowned.

Of course, there were exceptions to every rule.

Religions that involved the dark side and its practices were prohibited. That law remained in effect and had for almost three centuries now. Most in the Republic referred to it as Revan's law.

When it came to the dark side, the Republic had a long memory.

Revan's betrayal centuries ago still haunted the both the Jedi Order and the Galactic Senate, the speed in which the rogue Jedi, later calling himself a Dark Lord of the Sith, had gathered his forces and forged them into a new Sith army had caught the galaxy completely off guard. Though now extinct, the Sith remained a cautionary tale to the galaxy. It was a story that served as a warning to all about the dangers of unchecked power and ambition.

Dark side religions were outlawed, but that did not mean that such faiths had simply died out. Most had simply gone underground, or fled the core, taking sanctuary in the outer rim, and perhaps in the area of space still referred to as the unknown regions.

Shadows always were able to find places to hide, Always. Such religions could be dangerous, and unpredictable.

Jas was starting to think that this Sunset Collective was one such faith.

He made his way down the corridor, passed by his brothers and sisters, most would say hello or at least offer a respectful nod. It had taken time, more time than he would have thought, but now…after almost six years, he was finally accepted, despite the fact that he never elected to take up the creed, never took up the armor of the clan.

For the most part, the clan accepted his choice, not all were destined to wear the armor of the Mandalore; that did not mean that they did not acknowledge his skills however. He had proven himself several times on missions.

Most of the clan had come to accept him and the power that he wielded.

It was all that he could have asked from them.

Jas was fifteen now, still small for his age, but no longer the runt that he had been in the beginning. During his travels he had done what he could to expand both his knowledge of the Force and his fighting prowess. For years he had practiced the drills that his instructors at the temple had taught him, and then when he had mastered the Shii-Cho, he had progressed on to other sword fighting disciplines.

He was both fast and athletic; such traits served him well, and allowed him to progress quickly in learning about the various forms of blade on blade combat.

The Mandalorians were not Jedi, but that did not mean that they did not understand Jedi fighting techniques, they had needed to learn those techniques, to counter any Jedi that stood in their path. The wars between the clans and the Jedi may have been over, but the threat was always there and always had to be prepared for. Jas had done what he could to learn about those techniques, through his years of service and loyalty the blade masters of the clan had shared what they knew. They taught Jas not only about the lightsaber, but also how to counter it with other weapons.

Those masters had come to praise his skill and commitment, even if he was not one of them. Though he was never asked to join the clan in battle, he was trusted with the future of Clan Nuna. When the warriors were on the job, he was the one who Mother Nuna trusted to protect the foundlings and the ships that had become their home. It was a task he took seriously, and had never balked in carrying that mission out.

Some of the Mandalorians, Targo and Kelek Bobb, Targo's apprentice, in particular, had thought him cowardly for accepting such a duty. Nursemaid, they called him. Nanny they called him.

Jas was never insulted, he kept his Jedi calm. Mother Nuna had asked this of him, to defend their future, he was glad to carry out that service.

This was the way.

Part of that duty was making sure that the children they took in were kept safe. It was for that reason that he had chosen to look in on the Sunset Collective, several of their acolytes had been observed wandering the ship; they were seen talking to the younglings, trying to convince them of the righteousness of their faith and their cause, to win them over to the collective.

The sight of it did not please Jas.

The Clan had been contracted to protect the Collective that did not give them permission to try and steal the future of Nuna.

Jas was on his way to see Mom, to tell her about this, when he bumped into Gabe Cooper, his best friend smiled in greetings as he approached.

"Well…you are in a hurry," Coop said grinning, the wispy mustache that he was trying to grow looking more like a dirt stain than anything else.

"I need to see, Mom," Jas informed him, in no mood for levity today, "I think there might be a problem with the Collective."

"She might not have time for you," Coop warned him, "Targo and Ellis are with her. I think their fighting again."

Jas rolled his eyes.

Perfect, he thought.

That is all we need.

Ellis Nuna was the clan's third in command. He had been a child when they had been pushed off of Mandalore, and had been one of the few of pure Nuna blood that had not lost his helmet after their great defeat. In fact, he had not even won a helmet yet when that battle occurred, so now he was one of the few remaining Nuna that would be able to return when the clan finally resettled back on Mandalore.

He had already had his helmet when Jas had been brought aboard. Jas had never seen the other boy's face, but that did not change the fact that he had come to trust Ellis, even like him.

It was proof that differences were not a wall again comradery or friendship.

Though he had been raised a Mandalorian purist, next to Coop, he was probably one of Jas' strongest supporters among the clan. During a job on the moon of Rhen Var, Ellis had gotten wounded, his rocket pack had been damaged and he had gotten lost in a snowstorm. The clan had all but given him up for dead, but Jas had been unwilling to let it go, to give up.

He had tracked the young captain through the Force, found him, the two of them had fought side by side both against both the storm and the pirates that they had been hired to deal with. Ellis with his blasters and Jas his lightsaber, it had been the two of them against a harsh planet and they had prevailed. Both young men had made it back safely. Once it was done, Ellis had pulled him aside; Jas had been worried at first; unsure what the other boy's reasons might be.

Some Mandalorians would have been insulted that they needed help, the fact that they had needed to be saved. Ellis was not one of them; he had clapped Jas on the shoulder, pulling him into a brotherly embrace.

"You may not wear our armor, but you are _**our**_ blood. You are Clan Nuna, a brother to me and to us all."

Jas had been touched by Ellis' words.

"Thank you, brother," he had said bowing slightly, "You honor me."

"We stand together, or we fall," Ellis had said, "This is the way."

"This is the way."

Targo had never liked Ellis after that, the years had done little to dull his animosity towards Jas and those that supported him. Plus, he had hoped that Mom would name his apprentice Kelek Bobb as third. The feline-like Togarian practically worshipped Targo and always had the older Mandalorian's back, even at times when it seemed that Targo's wishes went against the clan…

…Which seemed to be happening more and more lately?

It had been Targo that had brought the Sunset Collective to the clan's attention. It was through him that the pilgrims had brought their proposal to the clan. The Collective offered to pay double the traditional rate if Clan Nuna acted as their bodyguards as they made their pilgrimage from the outer rim, to their secret temple on Corellia.

Jas had thought nothing of that when he first heard the news, what was the danger of watching over a group of priests? Now after listening to one of the collective's sermons, he was no longer sure.

If these people were considered outlaws by the Republic, bringing them into Republic space would do little to endear the clan to the Republic as a whole.

Of course, in the eyes of the Republic military, Clan Nuna was _**also**_ an outlaw group.

It was not like their reputation could get any worse.

The clan had been contracted to bring the pilgrims down the Perlemian Trade route, and then, after a brief stop on Kuat, to pick up more of the collective's converts, they were to swing back up the Hydian Way and the Corellian Trade spine, until they reached their final stop.

The path was not the safest, not for an exiled Mandalorian clan.

It would be a lot of time in Republic space, more time than the clan typically thought wise, but the money was very good; too good to pass up.

If the Collective was anything, it was well-funded.

As they approached Mom's quarters they could hear raised voices within. Targo's bellow was unmistakable of course.

It was rare when the large Mandalorian did not have reason to shout these days.

Jas and Coop stood outside the door, waiting for conversation to end. It was rude to interrupt the officers when they were…discussing matters.

Neither of the two young men wanted to get caught in the cross fire.

"I don't need to tell you the risk of this Targo," Mother said coldly. Our clan will not be welcome over the skies of Kuat."

"We are not welcome, anywhere," Targo reminded her, "But that will change after the success of his job, the credits that the Collective's First Speaker has offered us will be more than enough to secure our final return home."

There was a brief pause.

"Surely you can understand the value of that?"

"You think that I can't?" Mother responded hotly, "What do you think I've been searching for all these years? Our return is always on my mind, it is our one true goal."

"Then don't stand in the way of this!" Targo spat back.

Jas winced; this was not the first time that Targo had challenged Mom so openly. In the last year or so, he seemed to be growing impatient to return home, impatient to claim his place at the head of the table.

Jas knew that Targo had several supporters among the crew, those that were starting to see things his way.

That was not good for Mom, she had tried to stay on the same page as Targo, but more and more it looked like they weren't.

It was possibly they were not even reading the same book.

"This was my choice, mother, I will lead our clan when we return to Mandalore." Targo reminded her.

"All the more reason that you should be more cautious," Ellis piped in, "We should be making sure that we have a clan to return home with."

There was a huffing sound, a Togarian laugh. It was a sound that Jas had heard before, the laugh of Targo's apprentice and right hand.

"What is the matter, Ellis," Kelek Bobb mewed, "Scared of the big bad pubs?!"

"Caution is not cowardice," Ellis replied.

"Not from where I'm standing."

Jas tensed.

Bobb must have been insane to call Ellis a coward. If the Togarian was not careful, he might find himself challenged by the young Third. Bobb would not enjoy that, Jas knew how skilled Ellis was.

The alien would learn that too, if he pushed too hard.

The sound of heavy footsteps drew the boys' attention, as they looked behind them two of the Collective's leaders appeared on the corridor. The two made straight for Mother's quarters.

Unlike Jas and Coop, they approached unbidden, they either did not understand Clan protocol, or they simply did not care.

Jas suspected the latter over the former.

These sunset people did not seem the type to respect others, not if there was no value in it for them.

The Collective was led by a man that referred to himself as the First Speaker, a blue skinned middle-aged Pantoran. Like his fellows he wore robes of twilight purple with hem in the colors of the setting sun. The other priests, known as the Words of the Faith and numbering from one to six, of the collective wore full masks, making the determination of their species all but impossible. The Speaker, like his larger companion preferred a simple purple veil that covered the lower half of his face. Unlike the others, his hands and neck were adorned with gold trinkets. Jas had gotten the feeling that it was on his credits that this group had been formed and funded. The First Speaker's eloquence and manner suggested a history of both high breeding and wealth.

His companion was the polar opposite, or at least tried to appear to be. She was both harsh of voice and form.

Jas was not sure what to make of her. She was the one that had first caught his attention that made him think that their new clients might be up to no good.

The First Speaker referred to her as the Hand of the Faith. She was a Tunroth, a large grey skinned bipedal species from some planet in the mid-rim. Almost a head taller than Targo, with a hairless anvil shaped head, and shoulders twice as broad as the clan's largest warrior, the lady hand cut an imposing figure, even clad in the simple robes of the Collective, muscle toned arms strained against the fabric of her robes, her huge hands looked like they could crush a human skull with ease, but that was not the reason that Jas had been curious about her, it was not her size or the harshness of her speech that interested him, it was the weapon she wore on the sash that belted her robe.

It was the lightsaber that the Hand of the Faith carried. Seeing such a weapon interested him very much.

He had not seen another Force user in years.

He found himself curious as to what her story might be.

Targo, of course had mentioned his name to her, she had approached him, her flat large teeth showing in a wide grin beneath her purple veil.

"So you are the Jedi stray that this clan picked up?" she barked, grinning coldly at him.

"Can't say that I'm impressed."

Jas had been surprised by her rudeness; most who carried lightsabers had had some kind of Jedi instruction, which included lessons in manners.

This one did not seem to remember those lessons.

"I was a Jedi once," she confessed, "Made it up to the rank of knight before I quit."

"But why," he asked, "Why would you leave your duty?"

The Tunroth laughed.

"I didn't _leave_, kid. I was **abandoned.** I think you would understand what that is like."

She snorted and turned away.

""If anything you should be standing with us. I've seen what is coming, boy. You can either aid it, or get out of the way."

She looked over her shoulder.

"Those who get out of the way, tend to be swept away with everyone else, that won't be me when the Eternal Night comes. You can bet your boots on that.

"It won't be me."

Jas frowned, he did not know what this Eternal Night was, but he felt the reverence that the Tunroth now had for it, the respect she felt in her heart.

It was disturbing to say the least.

After that, she had ignored him, just as she was ignoring them now.

The Lady Hand said nothing as she passed them; she did not even acknowledge the two boys. She merely followed the First Speaker until they reached the door to Mother Nuna's quarters, and then she stepped forward and pounded on the door.

"OPEN UP IN THERE!" she shouted, "The First wants to have words with you."

The door hissed open, and the two Collective members stepped inside. Jas thought about staying, waiting until they came out to speak with Mom. The Tunroth ended any thought of that idea… She turned took one look at the boys and snapped up her hand.

Jas' understanding of the Force did not save him.

The Force push that struck the two boys flung them back and down the corridor. Jas had only had enough time to shield himself and Coop, prevent them from taking any serious injury when they struck the bulkhead behind them.

Jas managed to save them; they skidded to a halt before they struck too hard.

He sat up and glared at the knight turned priest.

She was grinning at them.

"Get lost boys," she said, "Adults are talking."

The door hissed shut behind her.

Jas glared at it.

So much for Jedi training he thought.

The Lady Hand could clearly no longer be considered a member of the order. She…she was…he was not really sure what she was now, but one thing was for certain.

She was trouble.

Bot her and the rest of the collective were all trouble.

Jas hoped that they would be able to endure it.

Hopefully, they would survive.

IOI

Jas returned to his duties. Despite his fears, he still had chores and assignments aboard ship. As always Coop found himself working at his best friend's side. The two of them usually found themselves working together; it had been that way since they were kids.

For the moment they were tending to the shuttles that the clan used in salvage operations. They were inspecting the hulls for meteorite or debris damage, making sure that hulls of the vessels were secure.

It was not a glamours job, but it was a necessary one.

It was the kind of task given to two boys who refused to take up the creed.

Jas knew his reasons, but he could not say why his friend had chosen not to walk the path. In the past year, Coop had talked often of leaving the clan behind one day, wanting to buy a ship of his own, maybe try his hand at the _Creative Shipping_ business.

_Creative Shipping_ being a clever name for _smuggling,_ Coop had gotten the bug when he learned his old flame Randa Halcyon had hooked up with a crew and was now working out of a place on Ord Mantel.

He had tried to convince Jas to go with him, offering the chance for them to be partners, saying that the two of them could clean up out there. Maybe even scrounge up enough money to buy their own ship one day.

Jas would be lying if he said he wasn't…tempted. Yes it would mean leaving the clan, but it would give him a chance to test the waters in Republic space, see how the Jedi Order was fairing these days.

He doubted that they would ever take him back, not now. He had lived outside the order and the law for far too long.

It was likely that…if he ever did go back, he would find himself sent to the Agro-corps, left to tend crops on new colonies.

They would take away his lightsaber, and why not?

He had never truly earned it, not in the Jedi way.

It would not have been a bad life, but after everything he had seen with the clan, he thought it wasn't for him.

He had seen too much to ever really be happy in such a life. He knew too much.

Not that he had any real desire to leave the clan, not when Mother Nuna and Ellis were facing…whatever it was the that collective were dragging them into.

He suspected that Coop would have an opinion; after all, he had never been short of one the whole time that Jas had known him. That was why Jas grew curious.

Gave was being quiet…too quiet.

His friend seemed…disturbed, which was unusual; his silence was odd; normally he would not shut up during work.

That silence concerned Jas.

"What is it," he asked the other boy, "what is wrong?"

Coop sighed.

"So," he said, "what happened…that is what it feels like when someone attacks you through the Force?"

Jas winced.

Technically, it wasn't an attack, it was likely a warning, but at the same time…

He understood Coop's worry. When confronted by someone who could use the Force, realize exactly what they could do to you if they wished. It could leave one someone feeling helpless.

He understood what that was like.

"I'm sorry you had to endure that," he said, "I'm sorry I did not think to try and shield us."

Coop's brow furrowed.

"Would that of worked?"

"Maybe," Jas shrugged, "The Lady Hand said she was a full Jedi once, that's one thing that I never did. She's had a lot more training than I've had. I might not have had the strength to block her."

Jas shivered.

Coop had never really understood the Force. He knew his friend had it, but rarely saw Jas use it, except to levitate small objects during meditation.

The force was more than that; it could be a weapon in the hands of someone both strong and skilled. The Hand of the Faith was clearly both.

Coop had a reason to be concerned.

Jas was concerned himself.

"I don't like her," he said, "I don't like any of these collective murglaks. Mom should have said no to this one."

Jas nodded; in this he and Coop were on the same page.

They should never have accepted this job.

The Collective struck him as all kinds of suspicious.

"JAS! COOP!"

The boys looked up to see Ellis striding towards them; the green and yellow trim of his armor was unmistakable.

"Both of you," Ellis called out, "Front and center, NOW!"

The 'Now" at the end made both boys wince. Both figured that they were in trouble.

Jas could guess why.

He would do what he could to shield Coop from the worst of it, his friend had had nothing to do with his little trip into the forward cargo hold.

He would do what he could to protect him.

They made their way to where the third was standing; they stood at attention when they arrived.

"Yes," they said in unison.

Ellis looked at them both in turn, his eyes hidden behind the T-visor of his helmet,

That visored gaze fell on Jas.

"The Hand of the Faith said that you were spying on them, Jas," he said, "She said she felt your presence."

Jas winced.

He could have tried to lie, but he did not.

"I got into one of the vents and was listening," he admitted, "I wanted to see what they were up to."

Ellis nodded; Jas hoped that he would give him a chance to explain.

"How did Targo respond to that," Coop asked, "Did he go thermal?"

"He and Bobb tried to convince Mother Nuna to put you in the brig Jas, say that you were jeopardizing our deal with the Collective. Bobb, of course, agreed with him.

Jas shrugged.

No surprise there.

"What did Mom say," he asked.

"If you did spy on our guests, then she left the punishment up to me, another thing that Targo was unhappy about."

"What did the First Speaker say?" Jas inquired, "Was he angry with me too?"

"Actually he seemed more amused than anything else, according to him, all are welcome to hear the word they are spreading, there was no reason for you to hide, you could have approached openly and they would have let you sit with them, let you hear the words in comfort and safety.

Jas shook his head.

Comfort and safety, he thought, I wonder.

"Mom was willing to let the matter go," Ellis added, "But Targo was still harping on it, angry that you are trying to mess up his deal. He found the Collective after all; he thinks this mission is his baby."

"Let me get this straight," Coop said frowning, "Targo, Mister "I hate Jedi," accepted what the Lady Hand said without further thought? He was fine with her using her Force powers to discover that Jas was watching them?"

"He seemed to," Ellis said.

"Why?"

Coop's eyes narrowed.

"And that does not strike you and Mom as odd?" Coop added.

"Coop," Jas said, "Don't."

"Don't what?! Are you going to say that nothing is wrong with that picture? Since when did Targo get all altruistic, since when does he side with a client before a member of his own clan?"

"Coop," Jas said trying to stop his friend, but the other boy would not listen.

He was too fired up, especially after how the Lady Hand had flung him away like he was nothing.

"Jas is part of this clan, when does the word of an outsider matter more than that? We are all loyal here. Can we say the same about these collective people? They are…"

"Coop," Ellis shouted, "Enough."

He fell silent; he had gotten louder than he had wanted to.

Several of the others were watching them, had heard them.

Ellis sighed.

He had not wanted to make this more than what it was.

"Is Mom going to punish me, then?" he asked.

"No," Ellis informed him.

"No? Why?"

"Because I told her you were checking in on the Collective on **my** orders, that you were making sure they were not disturbed. Targo was not happy about that, but what else could he do?"

"I'm an officer of the clan too, after all."

Jas blinked, unsure of what he had just heard.

"Your orders?" he asked.

"Yes."

"You covered for me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Ellis sighed.

"You are not the only one with…misgivings about this job. If anything, I should have ordered you to take a closer look at them. You are one of the stealthiest members of this crew, Jas. I should have asked you to find out what you could when these people first boarded. I'm not blind, or a fool. I'm well aware of the fact that their acolytes have been moving outside the hold, trying to get information out of the crew and the foundlings we have onboard."

Ellis shook his head.

"If it wasn't for Targo's endorsement, we would likely have never brought these people on board, perhaps we should not have."

He turned to Jas again.

"When you were in there, listening, did you hear anything? What did you see?"

Jas told Ellis what he knew, it wasn't much, just a feeling and what he knows about the dark side and religions that worshipped it.

When he finished, Ellis nodded.

"I will bring this up with Mother Nuna," he promised, "It is not much alone, but it is something to think about."

He put a hand on Jas' shoulder.

Be careful brother," he warned, "I'm not sure what is going to happen when we reach Kuat, but when we do we will have more of these Sunset Collective people onboard, we will need to be vigilant.

Jas' eyes narrowed.

Did Ellis expect an attack? Did he think that the Sunset Collective were after more than simple protection or transport?"

If they opposed Clan Nuna they would lose, from what Jas had seen the Collective had only one warrior among them, the Lady Hand. The First speaker, his Words, and his acolytes did not strike him as the warrior type. A few trained Mandalorians would overwhelm them if it came to that.

If the First Speaker thought the clan an easy mark, he was mistaken.

They were still Mandalorians after all.

They would protect each other.

"Be vigilant," Ellis repeated, "and watch each other's backs."

Coop and Jas nodded.

They had been watching each other's backs since they were children.

It had become almost second nature by now.

Ellis left to tend to a few things before they arrived on Kuat. He advised them to stay out of the way of Targo and Bobb until matters were resolved when they reached the planet.

Maybe they were wrong, maybe they were jumping at shadows, but if they weren't…

…they would need to be ready.

Both Jas and Coop returned to their duties, checking the shuttles, it was all they could do right now.

Nothing would happen until they reached their destination; at least, Jas hoped that it wouldn't.

"Jas," Coop said as they made their way to the next shuttle, his mouth bent into a worried frown.

"Yeah?"

Coop sighed.

"I have a bad feeling about this."

Jas nodded.

"Yeah, he agreed.

"Me too."


	5. Darkness

**Chapter 5: Darkness**

"**JAAAAASSSSS!"**

Coop's scream filled the air as the platform they were on finally gave way. The repulsor lifts failed and it began to spin and tumble.

The skies of Kuat became chaos, explosions, cries of fear, and the sound of Mandalorians taking to the air, their jet packs flaring as everything collapsed around them.

Jas tried to hang on, to keep from being swept off the spinning platform. While at same time trying to hold onto his friend, he used the Force to slow the other boy's descent, giving him time to find something to hang onto. Gabe Cooper wrapped his arms around the closest security railing. It gave the computer that controlled the platforms just enough time to regain control, to slow their descent.

Jas Dar Bynn shook his head, all around them people were dying, the Force was wailing like an injured child.

It has all fallen apart, he knew, they had underestimated the Sunset Collective and now they were paying for it...

This should not have happened, the boy realized.

It is all our fault.

IOI

The ship had arrived on Kuat with no problems. The First Speaker and the Hand of the Faith had left them at the spaceport, to gather their followers before continuing on their journey. Ellis had kept Jas and Coop close while the Collective's leaders were away. Both the Collective people and Targo had now identified the two boys as trouble makers.

The Mandalorian third officer wanted to make sure that that did not cause any problems.

Targo had stayed close to Mother Nuna. She had found out about what the Lady Hand had done to Jas in the corridor and she was not happy about it. Targo did his best to convince her not to worry. The Tunroth had behaved rashly, but no real harm had been done.

Not for lack of trying, Jas realized. Had he not acted when he did, both he and Coop could have ended up in the infirmary.

Regardless of his personal feelings on the matter, Targo had promised to keep an eye on the Hand of the Faith, make sure that she remembered that just because they were paying for Nuna aid, did not mean that they had free reign to do whatever they liked.

Targo had promised to see to it.

After all, he had made this deal.

He could guarantee the collective would not step out of line again.

When the First Speaker and the Lady Hand returned several hours later they brought back thirty more acolytes, and many storage crates. Ellis had been a bit concerned about that. It was questionable if they had the room to take on so many new passengers, and besides.

He did not know what sort of capabilities that these new collective members possessed. He was not sure about taking them aboard without knowing more. It was Mother Nuna's final call, but she had always listened to him.

He hoped that she would listen now.

When asked about it, the First Speaker had been dismissive. The Mandalorians had nothing to worry about. Most of the collective's acolytes would be staying behind when the ship left. The collective did not require the transport of all of the new arrivals. They were only staying a short time, to receive his blessing and instruction in what came next. Then they would be leaving, they would be following the main group later. They would require an escort to the drive yards. It was a massive ring of ship production facilities that orbited the planet.

"The acolytes that stay will be taking possession of several ships we have just purchased, the First Speaker had explained, "Once these new vessels are completed, they will join us at our new temple. I must bless our vessels in the name of the Eternal Night, to ensure our safe passage.

Jas knew that it was common practice for most religious groups to seek to bless ships before they headed back out into the void. The Collective was not the first religious group to ask to take the tour for that reason, and since they had ships of their own under construction. It within their rights to see what they had purchased.

The Kuati had not been entirely pleased to hear that, particularly the yards security chief. The priests were one thing, their Mandalorian bodyguards were quite another. Again the First Speaker had done his best to reassure them.

Clan Nuna was simply here for his brothers and sisters, they saw to the pilgrim's protection.

They offered no trouble, and would continue to do so.

Jas was not quite sure, but he thought he saw some credits pass between the collective's leader and the Security chief. After that, permission had been granted.

They would be allowed to take the tour.

Though he was usually left behind on such missions, this time Ellis asked if Jas would join them. The third officer felt safer having people he knew he could trust come along. Dressed in crew overalls, with his lightsaber safely sheathed up his sleeve, Jas had agreed to join the tour. The three hover platforms used for the tour would carry ten collective acolytes and five Mandalorians each. Two priests known as the Fifth and Sixth Words of the Faith would travel with the first two groups. The third would be led by the First Speaker himself, who in turn would be protected by Mother Nuna and Ellis.

Targo had asked to stay behind, though he did send his apprentice along. Bobb was going to make sure that Jas and Coop caused no trouble.

Targo's reasoning made Jas roll his eyes.

Like he and Coop were any real threat, they were not even wearing armor.

What trouble could they seriously cause?

Mother Nuna led the way, with Ellis, and the First Speaker at her heels. Jas and Coop would be riding with Kelek Bobb and the Fifth Word. The priests were ushered through security with barely a glance; all focus was on the Mandalorians. The KDY security was very interested in them. All eyes were on the Mandalorians and their weapons.

The Kuati were right to be careful.

One of the security men nodded to the First Speaker. The blue skinned priest had nodded back, and made some sort of gesture before him. The guard smiled slightly and went about his business.

Jas frowned; a shiver ran down his spine.

He had watched the priests and their followers closely. Most of those going on this tour were members of the new arrivals that had come aboard this morning. Most of them were young people between the ages of eighteen and twenty, all human.

The masked priest, the one they called the Fifth Word, said nothing, he simply held his ceremonial staff and watched, as silent as a shadow. Kelek Bobb guided the newcomers to their seats, while occasionally shooting Jas and Coop suspicious glances.

The feline-like Mandalorian was in full battle armor today, the helmet he wore had been modified to fit his wide cat-like head and features. The T-visor of his helmet so dark that you could not see his eyes, but he was watching Jas and Coop, that much was certain.

From what Jas was guessing, the Togarian would have preferred that the two boys remained on the ship.

"Blessed be the Eternal Night upon you, brother."

Jas turned to see a young collective acolyte smiling at him. She was pretty he supposed, dark haired with large brown eyes.

"My lady," Jas said bowing.

The girl giggled.

"Oh I'm no lady," she laughed, "Merely a willing hand in the service of the Eternal Night."

Her smile was wide and friendly.

"Are you new to the Faith? Are you here to be blessed by the Eternal Night as well?"

Jas' brow furrowed.

He thought that the First Speaker was doing this to bless his follower's ships?

"I'm here to help protect you," Jas informed her, "I'm a member of Clan Nuna.

The girl beamed.

"Oh so we are allies then? That is good; the eternal night needs all the help it can find…to ensure all is ready when it finally comes."

Jas was not sure what to make of that. He could sense the girl's…fervor through the Force. She was excited to be a part of this, which seemed odd.

It was just a tour of a shipyard…

…Wasn't it?

They all took their places; once all were seated the platforms began to rise. They climbed higher and higher. An energy shield appeared over the platforms open roof, sealing them off from space.

The platforms were based on the same principle of the maintenance skimmers, the ships that the Kuati used to move about their shipyards. Controlled by pilot droids, the platforms would take them up and allow the group to see the various ships that were now under construction.

Jas had never been to the Drive Yards before. He could not help but be in awe, the yards themselves were enormous, a literal planetary ring of dry docks, construction cranes and mineral processors.

He could not help but shake his head.

It was amazing what the Republic and people could produce.

Amazing.

The platforms dipped lower, he could now make out that some of the ships were enclosed in Force fields, likely the same kind used in the various launch bays of larger vessels. These protective coverings allowed the workers to do their jobs without the need of bulky spacesuits.

Two large ships were now below them, Jas assumed that these were the vessels that the collective had purchased. From here it looked like they were nearly completed, few workers moved about the hulls.

As they entered the protective bubble of the shield, the platform lowered its shield, once again exposing them to the open air. A voice came out of the walls next to them, the droid pilot explaining what they were seeing, telling the visitors about the ship they had purchased, and what it could do. The girl who had addressed him earlier stood up. She looked down at her wrist and smiled.

She wore a small armband; a green light was blinking on it.

She looked at Jas.

"Thank you for watching over us," she said, her voice was warm, so sincere.

He had no time to move, no time to react.

The girl sprinted away from her seat and leapt over the side of the platform, down towards the shipyard.

Jas leapt out of his seat. Coop had been sitting next to him; his own eyes were wide with disbelief.

"What the…"

Jas was moving he did not stop; he was motion and instinct.

He reached down trying to grab the young acolyte with the Force, to stop her fall.

Time seemed to slow down, he saw the look on her face as she fell to her death, fell towards one of the shield generators.

The girl was smiling, she shouted out her final words, words of glee and liberation!

"_FOOOOOR THE NIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!"_

The girl tore at the front of her robes and…

_**KABOOOOOM!**_

She exploded against the shield generator; electricity arced up and away from the yard as secondary explosions began to break out over the dock. For a few seconds the shields failed, workers shrieked as they were lifted up and blown out into space. The shockwave threw Jas back and started the whole platform spinning.

Jas hit the deck hard, stars exploded before his eyes.

He…he could not believe it!

WHAT WAS GOING ON!

IOI

Jas was not sure how he had managed to find his feet again, but somehow he managed.

The droid piloting the platform had been able to stabilize their fall.

Jas was dizzy, he felt something warm flowing into his eyes. He wiped at his face and looked out over what was going on. What was happening with the other platforms?

The tour had turned into a war.

He could see six of this brother and sisters in the air; they flew in formation, each carrying one of the acolytes. At first Jas thought they were flying them to safety, but as he watched he realized the truth.

One by one his clan mates dropped their cargo, the acolytes fell…

And all exploded when they found their targets.

He tried to find Mom, to find the platform she was on, the other two were moving off quickly, heading outside the shield, heading to other docked ships.

Jas eyes narrowed.

They were heading for other targets.

Jas cursed himself for a fool!

Mother, he thought, what have you done?!

"GET DOWN!"

Coop shoved him out of the way as two of the Collective's acolytes tried to grab seize them. The force field that protected the platform kicked on again the docks main shield failed.

Two blaster bolts flashed above them, Jas heard screaming and cries of pain.

The platform itself had become a battle.

He watched in horror as Kelek Bobb gunned down one their own. The Fifth Word twisted his staff, pulling out a part here and snapping one into place there.

The priest now held an ax of some sort; he shrieked out a war cry and lunged at a young Mandalorian trooper named Digger.

The blade sliced through the boy's neck, not beheading him, but leaving him dead just the same.

Digger fell without a sound.

Kelek Bobb had another of their brothers at his side now, he was trading fire with another of their brethren his _former_ brethren.

_No,_ Jas thought.

_This can't be happening!_

_**NO!**_

One of the acolytes lay dead at Jas' feet, gunned down by either Digger or one of their other loyal brothers.

Jas looked down in horror at the young pilgrim.

Beneath his violet robes was a vest rigged with explosives, high yield detonators if Jas remembered his explosives training correctly.

Immediately he understood what was going on.

This was no mere visit.

This was a terrorist attack!

Jas' eyes narrowed.

And Clan Nuna was helping, or rather Kelek Bobb and a few of their brothers were helping.

Jas did not need much help in putting one and one together.

The Togarian followed only one man's lead.

_Targo,_ he thought.

_**Targo you Son of a Hutt!**_

_**Damn you! **_

"Jas?"

Through a cloud of anger he could hear Coop's voice.

"JAS!"

He blinked; his friend knelt before him, his eyes radiating both fear and disbelief.

"We got to get out of here," Coop said.

"**We got to get out of here!"**

"**We got to find Mom!"**

Jas looked up; the other platforms had moved off, he was not sure which one Mother Nuna was on.

An electronic squeal behind them drew his attention; two of the remaining collective pilgrims had pulled the droid pilot out of his socket, and were in the process of destroying him.

Jas still counted seven of the terrorists, including the Fifth Word.

He had no time to decide what to do.

He and Coop looked up to see Kelek Bobb standing over them, he had one of their brothers with him; the one that had helped him kill Digger and the others.

The Togarian laughed coldly.

"Mom's not here to save you now you little shuttas," he purred, raising his blaster.

Jas could imagine the self-satisfied smirk on the alien's face. Bobb had always been so smug in combat, so eager to brag after each engagement.

"Targo said to say hello to you both," Bobb said, "And goodbye."

His blaster came up pointed right at Jas' head; Bobb's ally had his sights set on Coop.

It is over, Jas thought.

Time seemed to slow down again.

It should have been over.

Jas did something in that moment that he had never done before. In last few years he had avoided conflict, stayed true to his Jedi ideas, engaging in direct violence only during training.

They are going to kill us, Jas realized.

They are going to kill us. They may have already killed Mom.

Jas's eyes widened.

They.

MAY.

HAVE.

KILLED.

MOM.

That was all it took, that one little thought.

Shock went away, and its place came something more, something both hot and cold at the same time.

ANGER!

RAGE!

Jas had no defense against it, in that moment, surrounded by killers he let go.

He brought his hand down with an angry roar.

The Force responded, it felt his rage, and answered.

Power flowed into him, more power than he had ever felt before.

He did not hesitate.

He used it.

Time sped back up.

Bobb was still standing over him holding a blaster.

He never got the chance to fire it.

Jas got to him first.

The Force shockwave that he unleashed was unlike anything he had ever done before. Seats tore away from their moorings, the deck beneath their feet flowed like water.

The blast hit everyone around them, leaving only Jas and Coop untouched. The Collectives were blown back the speed of their flight was not enough to trigger the energy shield to stop them.

All seven acolytes found themselves in the cold vacuum of space. Two managed to trigger their vests, but the explosion was nothing in the void, the platform rocked from it, but that was it.

Bobb and his ally were also thrown, back their armor could survive the void if needed, for a short time; they used their rocket packs to stop their flight.

Jas glared angrily at the only one who had not been thrown back.

The Fifth Word of the Sunset Collective remained before them, he spun his blade, challenging Jas to try and attack him.

The fifteen year old smiled.

Love to mate, he thought, love to.

He drew his lightsaber from his sleeve. He ignited the blade, bathing himself in violet light.

The priest lunged at him.

Jas brought up his blade and blocked his attack, then…

He gasped, and started choking.

Bobb had come down behind him; he fired his smart rope, wrapping it around Jas' neck.

The alien pulled tight as both the priest and Bobb's remaining Mandalorian ally charged at Jas, both armed with blades.

Blaster fire rang out, Jas heard an angry Togarian yowl.

Bobb's grip on the rope came away. Jas pulled the rope off and whirled back to engage the two enemies in front of him.

"I got your back Jas," he heard Coop call out.

"I got your back.

Blaster fire drove the Priest and his ally back.

Good, Jas thought.

Now I can really concentrate.

His former brother was the more dangerous of the pair; Jas knew how skilled Clan Nuna troopers were. He did not waste any time.

The traitor was distracted back pedaling and trying to avoid Coop's blaster, thinking that Jas would leave him be, and attack the priest, give him a chance to get behind the young man.

Jas did not do what he expected; he would deal with the Fifth Word, but first.

He used the Force to push the priest back, when his ally tried to dance around Jas, he reversed his spin and came up with a vicious upward strike.

Jas knew right where to put the blade; he had been training with the Nuna for years.

The lightsaber caught the Mandalorian under the arm, where the pauldron and breast plate met, there was no beskar there, only leather.

The trooper's arm came away.

Before the warrior could respond Jas struck again, this time a spinning Ataru strike at shoulder level, the traitor's helmet and head came away, it flew over the edge of the platform and disappeared out into the void.

The body toppled and fell over the edge as well.

The sight should have horrified Jas, he…he had never killed anyone before today, now he had…

It…it did not feel that bad.

In fact…he felt good.

Powerful!

He was…

The Force whispered in his ear.

You are under attack.

Defend yourself.

Jas dropped down and barely avoiding losing his head to the Collective priest. He spun and engaged the masked zealot blade against blade.

The robed figure used that ax like he had been born with it in his hand. He was fast and strong.

He tried to Force push Jas, it was a good attempt, but the boy would have been able to block it during his days as a youngling in the temple.

The Fifth Word surprised him. It was clear that the priest had at least some training in the Force, perhaps from the Tunroth. It gave him speed, strength, and balance.

Jas grinned.

It was not enough.

He may have only been nine when he had left the order, but in that time he had learned how to use the Force, to see it as more than a bludgeon.

This priest did not know how to do that, he was all fire and no ice.

Jas could feel his emotions, and his limited power, he was not even using the Force to shield himself.

_How very foolish_, a voice, much like his own, whispered.

_Teach him the error of that._

_Make him bleed._

Jas did just that.

He reached out with the Force, and grabbed the priest. The fifteen year olds anger made him strong!

He lifted the priest in the air pulling his limbs out and away from his body, he did not have the strength to rip him apart but…he did not need to.

He just needed to hold him in place.

Jas' eyes narrowed.

"Why are you doing this?" he shouted.

The priest said nothing.

"WHY!?"

Again the priest said nothing.

The anger was on Jas again, he could not help himself.

He raised his lightsaber.

"May the Eternal Night accept me," the priest said.

His words did not stop Jas.

From the top of the head to between the man's legs, he sliced the Fifth Word in half. Whatever armor the man had had beneath his robes it had not been enough.

Jas let the body parts fall to the deck, he was panting, his vision was tinged with red.

_Don't stop now_, the sly voice within him said.

_You still have one last victim to deal with._

Jas smiled.

Make him scream.

Jas turned to the back of the platform, where Coop had Kelek Bobb contained.

The Togarian looked up when he saw Jas approaching; he had no doubt seen what the boy, the nursemaid, the nanny, had done to his allies.

Bobb did something then that Jas would not have believed before that.

He threw down his blaster and he yielded.

"I give up," he shouted, "Hey! I…I give up!"

Jas sneered.

"I don't care," he hissed.

Jas flung out his hand.

Bobb hit the side of the platform with enough force to damage his rocket pack, the device sparked and started to make hissing sounds.

Jas leapt on him with an angry snarl, he tore the Togarian helmet from his head, and flung it down next to him.

The alien stared up into Jas's eyes with a look of pure disbelief and terror.

"NO!" he said raising his large paws, "DON'T KILL ME! PLEASE KID! DON"T KILL ME! DON"T KILL ME!"

Jas grabbed him by the collar pulling him up into standing position.

"What is going on," Jas snarled, it took all of his willpower not to gut the cowardly creature right there.

"NOT MY FAULT!" Kelek Bobb sobbed, "IT WAS ALL TARGO'S IDEA! IT WAS TARGO!"

"Yeah we get that," Coop said coming up beside Jas; he had his blaster in hand, still pointed at the Togorian's head.

"But why, what is Targo planning?"

The alien's eyes were wide with fear, he had likely never faced a Force user in combat before, and he had always thought Jas a weakling.

He knew better now.

"The Collective wants this place wrecked, they want to destroy it. They say it is a threat to the return of their eternal night. They paid Targo a fortune to help set all this up!"

"So I guess there is no temple on Corellia," Jas said, "This was all a scheme to attack KDY."

"IT ISN'T MY FAULT!" the alien whined, "The collective promised to help Targo reclaim our spot on Mandalore. They say that they have powerful friends coming, friends that could use a strong ally on Mandalore."

"Who is coming?" Jas snarled.

"I don't…"

WHO?!"

"**I don't know. I swear that I don't know!"**

The alien was almost sobbing now, so great was his fear.

The display disgusted Jas.

"What about Mom?" Coop asked.

"What is going to happen to her?"

"The First Speaker is going to kill her, her and Ellis too; we were going to take over the clan. That is all I know. I swear that is all I know!"

Jas let him go, Kelek Bobb fell at his feet, sobbing and begging for mercy.

He snorted; he could barely contain his disgust for this…this…thing sobbing at his feet.

_Kill him._

The voice was both sly and seductive. It made Jas shudder.

_Kill him. Make him answer for his crimes._

_Do it, young Jas._

_**Do it!**_

Jas started to raise his lightsaber.

He…

He…

"Jas?"

He looked over at Cooper; his friend looked almost as scared as Kelek Bobb.

"It is over Jas," he said.

"Put the sword down."

_Do not let him stand in your way, embrace your power, let it flow,_ the voice was louder now, more insistent.

_Kill him too, let no one stand in your way._

_Jas_ blinked

What?

Kill Coop?

He shook his head.

No!

NEVER!

He lowered his weapon, but he did not take his eyes off Bobb.

He…he felt.

Jas shuddered.

He felt dirty. During his days at the Jedi temple, his masters had warned him about the dark side of the Force. They had told him how powerful in could seem. How it begged you to surrender to its power, and if you did, it would twist you into a mockery of everything you ever knew or believed in.

But those had only been concepts, abstracts, he had never felt the power of his anger, never gave into it…

…until now.

The darkness had given him the strength to defeat Bobb and the Fifth Word, but in doing so he had opened himself to something that he should not have. He had tapped the forbidden.

Jas looked down at the lightsaber in his hand. It never felt as heavy as it did in that moment.

He never felt…so unworthy.

It was all he could do not to toss the weapon over the side.

He wasn't worthy.

He knew that he should never use the Force again.

Not if it could lead…to the darkness.

Not if it could turn him into something…terrible.

He looked down at the cringing creature at his feet. Bobb disgusted him, but no longer did he feel rage.

The thing is a coward, he realized.

Let him live with that shame.

"Get out of here," Jas spat.

Wha…what?" Kelek Bobb stammered.

"I said get out of here, now," Jas growled, "Take your helmet and fly out of here. GO!"

"You…you can't do that," Bobb gasped, "If I'm captured by the Republics…"

"You should have thought of that when you betrayed your clan," Coop said, "Get out of here Bobb," he said raising his blaster to the alien's head.

"Get out of here before I finish what Jas started."

Kelek Bobb got to his feet; he held his helmet before him.

Jas could feel his panic.

Bobb was part of a conspiracy to destroy a Republic Shipyard, if the Republic captured him.

"You can't do this to me," he hissed, "YOU CAN'T! I'm a member of Clan Nuna! Targo is our leader now, with Mom dead he is the boss. I demand to be taken before him. I demand…"

Jas had heard enough.

He slammed his boot into the Togorian's chest. Kelek Bobb yowled as he went over the side of the platform.

Jas and Coop went to the edge and looked down.

Bobb had managed to get his helmet back on and fire his rocket pack, though it was clear that he would not get far, the rockets were too damaged to keep him aloft for long. He would not be able to reach one of the other platforms; he would likely have to land on the Shipyard.

Jas shook his head.

It may have been more merciful to simply kill the Togarian; still…Jas was not feeling very merciful.

"Damn," Coop said, "It looks like he is going to make it down safely."

Jas glared at his friend.

"What?" Coop said, "Are you honestly going to say that you didn't want to see the creep dead?"

Jas sighed.

He had wanted Bobb dead.

That was the problem.

He had really wanted it.

Coop made for the controls he began pushing buttons and pulling levers."

"What are you doing?" Jas asked.

"Going after Mom, what else."

Jas frowned.

He…he did not know.

"Jas," Coop said, "Buddy what is it?"

Jas shook his head.

"I shouldn't come with you, Coop," he said, "I'm dangerous."

"I know right," Coop said jovially, "that is why I need you to come. We can get Mom and get out of here. We…"

He looked at his friend; he could tell that Jas was worried.

"What…what is it?"

"I gave into my anger, Coop," he confessed, "What you saw, what I did to those acolytes and the others, that was the dark side of the Force."

"Yeah," his friend said, "So?"

Jas glared at him.

Coop did not understand.

He might never understand.

"It is evil, Coop, it could turn me evil. I could become worse than Targo, worse than Darth Revan.

"You are being a little over-dramatic there, aren't you?"

Jas's eyes narrowed.

"I wanted to kill you Coop, for standing in my way. I almost tried to kill you."

"Oh come on," his friend said about to laugh.

The serious look on Jas' face stopped him.

"Really?" he said, "For Real?"

Jas nodded.

"I can't use the Force anymore," Jas informed him, "If I do…I'm not sure what will happen."

Coop stared at him.

"You know, I don't know everything about this Jedi stuff you do, but I do know this. You owe Mom an awful lot; she took you in when she didn't have to, just like she did for me."

"I know that, but…"

"No buts," Coop said, "I'm going to save Mom, and I need you to help me. I need you to use those powers of yours to help."

He gave his friend a stern look.

"You say that your powers are too dangerous, and you want to stop using them, that is fine, but let's wait until after the clan is safe. Okay Jas?"

Jas Dar Bynn winced.

He knew the risk, he knew what might happen if he lost control again. The dark side was a slippery slope.

Once you started using it, it got easier, you used it again, and again, and again, and then one horrible morning you wake up and realize you belong to it now. At least that is what the masters back at the temple had said.

How could he take this risk?

What if doing this turned him into something terrible?

"Jas please," Coop said, "Mom needs you. I need you."

Jas sighed and shook his head.

He looked down at the lightsaber in his hand.

"Fine," he said, "One last time, but I can't lose control like that again Coop, if I do, you will have to stop me, promise me Coop."

Jas…I…"

Promise me."

Coop looked sick, but he nodded.

"Sure pal, whatever you say."

Jas Dar Bynn sighed.

Praise the Force, he thought.

He gave his best friend a weak smile.

"Okay Coop, let's do it."

"Let's go get Mom."


	6. The Way

**Chapter 6: The Way**

_This is our fault._

Jas looked down as the damage done. The fires burning, the ships left broken and untethered. For several kilometers in both directions the Kuat Drive Yards was burning.

…and it was all; our fault.

We brought the Sunset Collective here. We gave them the cover they needed to get within the shipyards. Security had been so worried about the Mandalorians that they had not even glanced at the priests and what they were carrying. Even if the First Speaker had managed to pay off a few of the guards, if not for Clan Nuna, someone likely would have caught on, might have stopped them.

Jas Dar Bynn shook his head.

It was all; our fault.

Despite the damage their platform had taken during the battle, it had been able to move much swifter than one fully loaded with people. Coop piloted after the other two platforms, hoping to reach Mother Nuna in time. As the two boys watched the platform closest to them dipped down and plunged into the shipyard, heading straight for a Republic Cruiser in dry dock. The ship had been powered down, relying on the yard's shields to protect it.

The platform moved just slow enough to pass through the shield, pass through and slam into the ship, its mass and momentum more than enough to snap the cruiser in two.

Jas watched in horror as the platform exploded, and with it the broken cruiser, and anything else that could explode around it. A series of chain explosions detonated within the shield detonated and burned until the shield generators finally failed. The loss of air put out the fires, but the damage had been done, debris and bodies spun away from the wrecked section of the shipyard.

It was more damage done by the Collective, another sacrifice to their Eternal Night.

Again Jas felt the cold sense of anger reaching out to him, and with it the darkness. It…it offer so much, he could hear the call so clearly now. He wanted to save Mom, it could help. He wanted to destroy the collective, it could do that to. He wanted to have Targo's head on a plate.

It could do that, he could do that...

…it would be a pleasure.

He tried not to listen, to focus on his duty, on repaying Mom for saving him all those years ago. Coop was not wrong; he owed the Mandalorian chieftain everything. He would have died if she left him there.

He would repay that debt.

Coop spotted the last platform, it had finally come to a stop; it was moving on repulsor lifts only... Jas reached out with the Force, he felt no trace of the collective, their acolytes were gone, he felt no aggressive feelings at all coming from the platform, only desperation, and the will to survive.

Jas smiled.

"I found Mom," he shouted to Coop, "She is still alive!"

Gabe Cooper nodded and brought the platform about, moving it towards the other remaining platform. Jas was not sure what was going on, but he was certain she was there.

It was at that moment that the Force cried out. It was a warning of danger, a warning of death.

Above them space seemed to shift, a shimmer of pseudo-motion as something big emerged from hyperspace. A Republic cruiser now appeared above them, answering a distress call from the yard.

Jas' eyes widened.

We got to go," he told Coop.

"We got to go!"

Laser blasts flashed around them as the war ship opened was targeting the only platform that was still a threat, the only one still in motion.

It was targeting their platform.

The boys only had a few moments to react.

As they had made their way towards the other two platforms, Coop had suggested that they take the rocket packs of Digger and their other slain brother. Both he and Jas had trained with them a little, even though neither boy had sworn to the creed, they still had had the training. As it turned out, that was good.

They needed that training now.

Jas pulled Coop away from the controls, but only when they were back safely inside the dock's shields, they dropped the platform's shields and both boys leapt into the void.

Republic weapons found the doomed platform a few seconds later. It exploded violently, throwing shrapnel and wreckage as it blew apart.

Jas had reached out with the Force again, trying his best to shield them. He tried to remain focused on his sense of calm and his desire to save Mom.

He tried to hold the anger in check, tried to keep it from rising. He did not doubt that the dark side would have helped, but he knew now not to feed that particular beast.

He would not like what happened if he did. He and Coop skimmed close to the shipyards, using the shields to both protect themselves from the Republic ship, the vacuum, and to reach Mom. So far KDY security had not turned off the shields in this section of the yards, it gave the boys what they needed to reach their goal; a goal that would have been unattainable without it.

Neither Jas nor Coop wore helmets; they would not have been able to reach the platform without the shield. As for the platform itself, it still floated in a stationary position, stationary, but slowly losing altitude. Flashes of red light suggested blaster fire was being exchanged on board.

Jas considered that a good sign.

Mother Nuna was still alive, and if she was still alive she was still fighting.

They still had a chance.

They could still save her.

The platform continued to sink; soon it would be inside the shield that would be their window. Jas and Coop both struggled with their jetpacks, these rigs were designed to carry Mandalorians in full armor, the two boys did not have the weight to properly compensate for it, and it made the packs too sensitive to their movements.

As the platform finally dipped down inside the shield, Jas could finally hear the blaster fire. He had expected to find Mom and any other survivors dealing with the Collective or Targo's traitors.

Instead, she was facing a different enemy.

Two security skimmers had attached to the platform. A squad of six KDY Security men in heavy armor was trading blasts with the surviving Mandalorians. Jas recognized the familiar sight of Ellis' helmet as he bobbed up to fire, and dropped back down. For the moment the Security Forces had not noticed Jas or Coop, they had not realized that the two boys were approaching.

Jas and Coop did as they were taught. They slowed their momentum and came down behind the KDY forces. It was not the most pretty of landings, or the most silent, but they made it.

The security men spun around and tried to attack.

Jas was ready.

For the second time that day he ignited his lightsaber, the violet blade bathing the KDY people in its light.

For that one brief moment, everything seemed to stop.

Jas stood before Coop, shielding him, the KDY men looked upon the fifteen year old wielding a lightsaber with a mix of shock and horror.

Jas held his blade before him, holding up the Shii-Cho guard, and waiting for what came next.

"Get back in your skimmers," he shouted, his words directed at the security soldiers.

"Leave now."

The men stood there, paralyzed.

"Leave now," Jas repeated.

A blaster shot flashed towards him, he blocked it with his blade.

"Dark Jedi," one of the KDY men shouted.

"Dark Jedi," another cried out.

"Kill him."

KILL HIM!"

Dark Jedi?

Jas almost spun around, ready to meet this new threat, and then he realized what was going on.

They were not talking about any of the Sunset Collective people.

They were talking about him.

The realization shocked Jas, but only for a moment.

The blasters of the KDY people all swung towards him.

He had no more time to simply stand there gawking.

He acted.

The security men were caught off guard.

Jas used the Force to rush them, before they had a chance to fire off enough bolt, he was within their group.

He did his best to pull his shots.

He could have taken heads or limbs but chose to cut blasters instead. His blade hummed as it moved back and forth, destroying the security forces weapons. Their weapons gone, the troopers tried to rush him, to pin him down and get his lightsaber. He did not let that happen, he was moving too fast. He used a series of small Force pushes to throw them off balance. Without the dark side he did not have the power to simply throw them off the platform, and would not use it if he could. He did not want to kill these men for simply doing their job.

Not that he was completely defenseless without the Force. He had spent almost six years training with Clan Nuna; he had learned hand to hand combat techniques. Coop and he had both learned them...

Gabe Cooper moved in to back him up. He used his blaster but only on the stun setting. Jas had been adamant of not killing anyone. Coop did not even complain about it.

Jas suspected that his friend did not wish to kill anyone either.

There had been too much death today already.

Their attack, their distraction paid off, no sooner had the two boys engaged that Ellis leapt out from where he had been hiding and came to their aid. The Mandalorian third was far more skilled than two boys, Force sensitive or not.

As one they forced the six soldiers back into one of security skimmers. It would be a tight fit for the three but it was better than letting Ellis or Jas kill them. Jas was surprised by Ellis' restraint, but he should not have been.

This attack was bad enough; Clan Nuna had not come here to expand on the tragedy that had happened here.

Once the six men were inside Ellis triggered the door control, Jas cut through the maglocks that were holding the skimmer onto the platform.

It disengaged and began to tumble away; someone must have fired the maneuvering thrusters because it did not slam into the docks below.

Jas looked around searching for anymore enemies but finding none.

The three of them had done it.

They were safe…for now.

Ellis turned to the two boys; his expression hidden behind his helmet, through the Force Jas could feel his gratitude, and his pleasure at not seeing the two boys' dead.

"Brothers," he said placing a hand over his heart.

"Brother," Jas and Coop said in unison, returning the salute.

"It is good that you are okay," Ellis said, his eyes falling at the now empty security skimmer.

"We have a way out now," he said, "It is best that we use it."

"What about Mother Nuna?" Jas asked.

"Yeah," Coop said, "We have to get her out of here."

Jas felt a ripple of pain through the Force, Ellis's pain.

No, he thought.

Oh no.

The three found Mother Nuna leaning against the frame of the platform. Her pale yellow armor was blackened at both her shoulder and at her waist. She held her side as blood ran from beneath her fingers, her greying red hair was damp; her skin pale and clammy.

She looked up the two boys; a smile came to her lips.

"My boys," she said warmly, "I'm glad you made it."

Jas and Coop fell to their knees before her. Jas reached out with the Force, wondering if there was something that he might be able to do.

Mother Nuna had always been so strong; she had been a beacon in the Force. She had been a pillar of strength for her clan.

Now that beacon was dim, he could feel it flickering weakly in the Force.

Despite years of Jedi training, despite his acceptance of the harsh realities of Mandalorian ideas, Jas felt his eyes sting, a single tear ran down his face.

Mom, he thought.

Oh Mom!

Mother Nuna was in little pain, he saw a Mandalorian trooper's med pack at her side. Such packs were not meant to save a trooper's life, but to give them that the strength they needed to finish the fight.

Mother Nuna blinked; her eyes were glassy from the painkillers.

"Is there anyone else," she asked Ellis, "Are we alone?"

"It was just Jas and Coop," he informed her.

"I saw no one else."

"Damn," Mother Nuna winced.

"I had hoped for better news."

"We secured a skimmer mother," Ellis informed her, "We are not trapped here."

The older woman nodded.

"Good," she murmured, "Very good."

She looked upon the boys' she could see the pain on their faces, no doubt she could guess what they were feeling in that moment, what they were thinking.

Mothers were like that, it did not matter if the child had not come from her body.

Mother's knew.

"Don't worry," she told them, "My death will not be mundane as this."

She looked up at Ellis, her eyes turning cold, commanding even.

"Ellis, get these boys out of here, get in the skimmer and go."

"Mom, we can't leave you," Jas said.

"Yeah," Coop said, "We...we came here to save you. We came to bring you home."

She gave them both a sad smile.

"I was never going home," she said, "I accepted that fact…long ago."

She shook her head, hissing in a mix of pain and anger.

"The First Speaker, he stabbed me. I…I was too slow, and then…then…Morn and Venic tried to kill me."

"I tried to shield her," Ellis said," But…But I was too late.

"I was too late."

"Not your fault," Mother Nuna said, she smiled at her third, trying to show him there was no blame.

She turned to Jas.

"You know how this ends, don't you?"

Jas nodded, he had tears in his eyes.

Yes, he knew.

He could feel it.

"Save her," Coop shouted at him, "Use your powers! Use the Force!"

"Save her."

Jas shook his head.

"I can't…I'm…I'm no healer."

Coop glared at him, his anger starting to rise.

"Coop…don't," Mother Nuna said, raising her hand.

"Don't blame, Jas, this wasn't his fault…"

She hissed, wincing in pain.

"It was mine," she gasped.

"It was all mine."

"Targo betrayed us," Jas informed her, "Bobb confessed everything. He knew that the Collective had come here to attack."

Mother Nuna nodded.

"Then your duty is clear then," she said, "All of you."

She looked at Ellis, her pained eyes burning with determination.

"Do not let this cowardly massacre be my legacy," she growled, "Do not…let...it be…what our clan is known for."

Ellis nodded.

"I will not let it end this way Mother," he said.

"I promise."

She looked at Coop and Jas," she smiled sadly.

"You were never meant for this life, neither of you."

"I'm sorry," Coop said.

"Me too," Jas said.

"Don't be," Mother Nuna said, raising a bloody hand to their faces, touching them both.

"You will need to find your own path, both of you. I know you were already looking, Coop, don't be afraid of where it might lead."

"I won't," he said.

"I promise."

Her eyes fell on Jas.

"You will have the hardest journey, I fear. What you did here today will be noticed. You will not be able to hide among us anymore."

Jas Dar Bynn sighed.

He knew that she was right.

Dark Jedi the security men had called him.

The order would hear of this, they might even think he had a part in the attack.

The council would send its hunters looking for him. If he had ever wished to return to the order, that path was likely gone now.

He was on his own, perhaps forever.

Strangely enough, that did not scare him as it might have once.

He would need to find his own path.

The Force would guide him.

The platform rumbled beneath them, the Republic ship was moving again, seeking to get over them, no more security skimmers approached. The captain of that ship had probably heard from KDY control right now.

They were probably not going to take any chances in dealing with a "Dark Jedi."

Their weapons were probably locking on right now.

Mother Nuna struggled to rise, Jas and Coop went to her side, she pushed them away once, but after her second attempt to stand failed, she allowed them to help.

They guided her over to the console, the one that controlled the platform. The droid pilot had been smashed to pieces, but the console still blinked, it still had power.

Mother Nuna nodded.

"You can leave now, boys," she told them, "I have one last mission to complete. I will give you as much time as I have left."

"No," Coop said reaching out for her.

"Mom?"

Ellis and Jas stopped him.

"Don't make this any harder on her than it already is," the Mandalorian third told him.

Jas looked at her, at the woman who had saved him, the one who had seen him as more than just some stray.

"You will cover our escape?"

She nodded.

"Not very Mandalorian of you?"

She laughed. Her laughter turned into coughing, but she still did it.

She wiped the blood from her mouth on her arm, and gave him a saucy grin.

"To protect my clan, to give my life for it, that is Mandalorian."

She smirked.

"This is the way."

This is the way," the three standing before her repeated in unison.

She nodded grimly checking the controls.

"Don't let this farce destroy my clan," she ordered, "I'm counting on you boys."

All three nodded, Ellis took Coop by the shoulder, gently guiding him away and towards the skimmer.

Jas remained behind; he looked upon Mother Nuna one last time.

"Go," she murmured.

"Go now."

He nodded, and smiled at her.

"There is no death," he told her, "there is only the Force."

She laughed.

"I guess I'm about to find out if that is true."

"Yes," he said weakly.

She motioned for him to go; she had tears in her eyes.

"Good bye," he told her.

"Until we meet again."

Jas leapt into the skimmer as Coop closed the door. Ellis was at the controls and disengaged the maglocks.

The skimmer fell away from the platform; it was faster than the larger carrier.

It sped away quickly.

Jas and Coop watched out the back viewport, watched as the platform began to rise.

Mother Nuna was at the controls, she was firing the repulsors, making the platform pull up and away from the shipyard.

She wants no more damage done, Jas realized, she does not want to add to what the collective has done here.

He continued to watch, both through his eyes and through the Force. The warship continued to maneuver, closing in on the platform

A squad of fighters dropped from the cruiser's launch bay, they made for the platform. Mother Nuna had set it on a collision course with the ship, but it did not have the size or the mass to do any damaged to a shielded warship.

It is almost over, Jas realized.

It was almost time.

The fighters closed in.

Mother Nuna did not try to go evasive, there was no point.

Jas continued to watch.

He could almost see Mother Nuna at the controls, guiding the platform higher and higher, she saw the fighters approaching but did nothing.

She smiled and closed her eyes.

A Mandalorian did not desire to be taken prisoner; if they were to die they preferred to die in battle, with an enemy blaster or blade at their throat.

The fighter's locked onto the slow moving platform and fired.

It was hit once…again…and a third time.

The repulsors and engine system overloaded.

The platform and Mother Nuna vanished in a flash of golden light. Sparkling debris began its long descent down into the atmosphere of the planet Kuat.

Ellis and Coop sat up front, both in pain, both mourning.

Jas was mourning too, but it was different for a Jedi.

He believed, even if they did not. Mother Nuna would become one with the Force. And one day, they would all be together again.

He smiled.

He would miss her, he would mourn, but he was happy to.

They would meet again; it was the will of the Force.

He nodded.

This is the way.


	7. My Chieftain

**Chapter 7: My Chieftain**

"I challenge. In the name of the code of the clans, and in the traditions of Mandalore, I CHALLENGE!"

The words had been out of Jas' mouth before he could stop them. He had heard them spoken several times before, normally in the presence of Mom or Ellis.

He had never thought he would say them himself, he never thought he would risk it. He was not a fighter, but in that moment, seeing Targo standing before the clan, declaring himself their leader…

Jas had had no choice.

"Challenge," Targo hissed down at him, "CHALLENGE! You have no right to challenge me you little pest! I'm the leader of this clan! You are not even a full recruit! You have never sworn the creed! You've never…"

"A challenge has been made," Ellis shot back at him, "The rules of the old way are quite clear. Any clan member can challenge another, whether they be soldier, recruit, or novice. Jas has served this clan well for years, he is a part of it, whether you like it or not, Targo."

Ellis made the man's name sound like a curse, which in that moment it was.

The new leader of Clan Nuna glared down at the three new arrivals. Jas stood behind Ellis, with Coop backing them up.

Jas shook his head; he had never expected anything like this to happen. Coop had warned him many times over the years that eventually he would have to stand up to Targo, the Mandalorian second had never accepted him, and one day, Jas would have to defend his place in the clan. Mother Nuna would not always be there to defend him, or remind Targo of his place.

Jas glared up at the larger man.

That day…had finally come.

Mother Nuna was gone, the clan was in peril, and he had made a promise, the same promise that Coop and Ellis had made.

He would see it through.

IOI

He now found himself standing in an open field, Ellis and Coop acting as his seconds. It was here that the challenge would take place. Across from them, Targo stood as his allies tended to him, readying him, and his armor for battle.

"Are you sure about this?" Ellis asked Jas for the tenth time.

Jas shrugged.

"It has to be done," the young man reminded him.

The Mandalorian nodded.

"I could…"

"No," Jas said quickly.

He heard Ellis sigh beneath his helmet.

"Jas, I can…"

"No, Ellis."

"Jas?"

"I made the challenge. I have to see this through."

Again Ellis nodded.

He was still not happy about that.

As third of the Clan, Ellis could have taken on this challenge himself, he could have fought Targo, fought him as Jas's champion, but Jedi boy would not allow it.

For too long Targo had looked at him like he was nothing, looked at him like he was unworthy of being a member of their clan.

Today, Jas would prove otherwise, he would prove it to everyone, and for the memory of Mother Nuna.

He had made the challenge.

He would see it through.

IOI

After the attack on the Kuat Drive Yards, Clan Nuna had retreated to their fall back spot, a small moon in a nearby system. They knew enough not to remain there long, by now word would have gotten back to the Republic, in a couple of hours Republic warships would be combing the nearby systems, hunting for the Mandalorians that had staged an attack on the shipyards.

Memories of the Mandalorian Wars still haunted the Republic, the tales of cities sacked and worlds burned.

The Republic would not sit back and let a single rogue clan bring back those dark days.

Clan Nuna would not be able to stay here.

The clan needed to be gone before they arrived.

Fortunately, for Jas and his two allies, the clan continued to follow protocol, they were still at the fall back spot when Ellis and the two boys touched down in a stolen shuttle. The clan was awaiting the arrival of any survivors. A stolen shuttle had not shocked anyone, especially after Ellis had given them his clearance code. Jas had not really wanted to take it, but the three had had no choice.

If they were going to catch up with the others before they disappeared, they could not afford to wait.

Jas had…begrudgingly agreed, he had even used a bit of Force persuasion on the guard at the hangar bay, convincing him to let them enter, and then to leave his post. Both Ellis and Coop had been surprised to see that, it was not an ability Jas liked to use, and at first he had not been sure that he would even have had the strength to make it work, it had been so long since he had done it.

The Force was with him today, it had worked, and they had their ship, and after Ellis had disabled the transponder, the three had managed to make a safe getaway, vanishing into hyperspace before the Kuat security could scramble any response.

That had been the easy part, what was to come next would be far harder.

None of them could say how many of the clan that Targo had on his side. Who had willingly joined him during his coup?

They all recognized that they were likely walking into a trap, but they had no choice.

They had all promised.

Mother Nuna's legacy would not be tarnished like this.

Targo would not profit from his betrayal, they would stop him.

The clan would be saved.

They had arrived to find Targo addressing the rest of their clan. He expressed shock over what had happened shock and anger.

Jas listened to some of what he had to say, it was a pretty speech, inspirational too.

It was also…a total and complete lie.

Targo's tale painted the Sunset Collective as the victims, that the powers that be had not wanted them in the Republic, and that they had chosen to attack the pilgrims while they had been on their tour of the shipyards. According to Targo the clan had risen up to protect their clients, but in the end it had not been enough, only a few of the Collective had escaped, and the Mandalorians had needed to damage the Republic's precious shipyard to make sure that they were neither followed nor challenged by the security forces that had behaved so…dishonorably.

Those of the clan who had not participated in the attack were visibly shaken, especially by the fact that Mother Nuna was apparently among those the clan had lost.

Targo used that shock to his advantage. He had been in the process of whipping the clan into an anti-Republic fervor when Jas and company had arrived in their stolen shuttle.

Jas' eyes had narrowed as he regarded Mother's second, her former second. Targo's treason was as heinous as it was cowardly.

He would be damned before he let the man profit from it, before he dragged the clan into a conflict that they could not win.

Ellis had confronted them with what had happened, and Targo had spat back that the young third did not know what he was talking about. The new clan head was equally angry by the presence of Jas and Coop. He tried to use their presence as proof that Ellis was being manipulated.

He tried to spin it like Jas had rejoined the Republic, that he had used Jedi sorceries to ensnare Ellis' mind, and that Coop was his willing accomplice.

Targo demanded that the two boys be seized.

Ellis stepped up and defended them, repeated his tale, what had happened at the shipyard, and what had happened to Mother Nuna. From many of the shouted questions and gasps, it was clear that the not everyone here was on Targo's side, the second had not rid himself of everyone that might oppose him.

Jas took that as a good sign. The clan was still in shock, they were not sure what to believe just yet.

They still had a chance to protect Mother Nuna's legacy to bring the clan home with honor.

Targo once again tried to rally the clan to him. He spun a good tale, telling of the treachery of the Republic and the new strength that the clan would have with continued friendship and alliance with the Sunset Collective. That the blow that Clan Nuna had struck this day would go a long way to reminding not just Mandalore but the galaxy that Clan Nuna was neither weak nor forgotten. The First Speaker of the Collective had offered them his support, he would fund their operations, and allow Clan Nuna to launch guerilla raids against other Republic targets, and that by doing so, all of Mandalore would see that the fighting spirit of their people was not dead. That Clan Nuna would be the spark that would reignite the Mandalorian inferno in the galaxy. A new age of clan of expansion was about to begin, and he would lead them to it, he would make them all a clan of legends.

Ellis fired back by reminding them that Clan Nuna did not have the numbers to go to war, and even if it did, the other clans were in no position to back them up, those that had first cast Clan Nuna out still held great power on Mandalore, and they would make sure that no help arrived to help a small renegade clan.

"They will let us die," Ellis shouted, "they will do it because it is not in the best interests of Mandalore to aid them."

"They will rally behind me," Targo had spat back; "I'm the warrior that our people have been waiting for, the one who will reignite the flame of a reborn Mandalorian Empire! For too long our people have been without a Mandalore to lead them. I shall take up that mantle, and lead our people to our destiny!"

"That is not what Mother Nuna wanted," Ellis said, "The clan is not a sword for your personal glory Targo Sei, you will…"

"Mother Nuna was a coward!" Targo roared, "She did not have the strength to lead us back home. She'd had her helmet taken, her face revealed for all to see! She was nothing! She deserves to be nothing! I am…"

"A TRAITOR!" JAS shouted.

Targo snarled as his eyes fell upon the boy.

"She is not here to protect you anymore, pup. It is time that you…"

It was in that moment that Jas had issued the challenge.

The clan had been shocked, but after Ellis reminded them of the old ways, they had accepted Jas' challenge.

Any clan member could challenge anyone else, it was the way.

In days past, other recruits had challenged inept leaders, it was known. Mandalore the Undeniable had risen in such a way, and he had united all the clans under him. He had been one of the first to dream of an Empire among the stars.

Jas did not see himself in such a light, he did not want the clan, only to preserve Mom's legacy.

It was for her that he was doing this.

It was for her…that he would win.

Ellis offered him some armor, he refused, he had never sworn the creed, seeing him in armor would insult the clan members that were on the fence right now.

He could not afford to do that, besides; armor would only slow him down.

Speed would help him win this challenge, not wearing heavy armor.

Coop offered him a blaster, but again Jas refused. He was decent with a blaster, but far better with a blade, and besides a lightsaber would do far better against Targo's armor.

If I can get him in close, Jas thought, this battle will be over very quickly.

He glanced up at the preparing Targo; the large Mandalorian's visored gaze was focused on his young opponent. Jas could almost sense his eagerness; he had long desired the chance to put Jas Dar Bynn in his place.

Mother can't save you anymore, runt. That is what Targo was likely thinking at that moment. He might even have thought that Jas' challenge was playing right into his hands…

…Maybe it was?

Jas took a deep breath, and blew it out. His fear and doubt went with it.

If he lost this challenge, he would die, he did not doubt it.

Targo would show him no mercy, but that was fine.

There was no death, there was only the Force.

If Jas died, he would enter the unifying Force, he would join all those that had come before.

He was not afraid.

His hand drifted to his lightsaber, he found himself thinking about Mother Nuna, the look on her face before they had left her, what he had promised.

Jas nodded grimly.

He would not lose this challenge.

He would not.

Targo stood across the field, be tended to by his own seconds. That T-visored gaze remained focused on the one that he had hated for so long. Jas could understand.

He had never liked Targo, the Mandalorian had never trusted him, always belittled him, and now, after everything he had done…

Jas shook his head.

He was so close to hating Targo Sei, but if he did, he might very well be lost.

Hate was the path to the dark side; it might be what he needed to win this fight, but if he used that power again…

A shudder went through his frame.

What would he…become?

"Targo is no fool," Ellis reminded Jas, "He will use his ranged weapons. He won't want to get in close, not until he is sure that you are defenseless."

Jas nodded.

"Try to exhaust him, get him to use his grenades and blasters, avoid them, and make him waste his rocket pack."

Ellis chuckled coldly.

"Coop says you're lethal with that blade of yours, prove it today."

The young Mandalorian looked up at his former superior.

"Kill him quickly."

Jas nodded grimly.

That was the real trick wasn't it?

The challenge would not end until one of the combatants was either dead, or unable to defend themselves.

Another Mandalorian would not balk at killing Targo, but if Jas killed him, if he killed him in anger?

He took another deep breath.

Could he do that?

In the distance Targo pushed his seconds away, the large warrior stepped forward, checking his wrist guards, all the tricks and weapons built into them.

Ellis nodded and motioned for Coop to move away.

"It is time," he murmured, pulling the other boy away. He looked one last time at Jas.

"Good luck, little brother," he said, "And if you should fall, die well."

Jas nodded grimly.

"This is the way," he murmured.

"This is the way," Coop and Ellis repeated.

Jas drew his lightsaber and stepped forward. A hush fell over of the field of battle.

The time for preparation was now over.

It was time for the battle to begin.

Jas drew his lightsaber; he did not ignite it, not yet.

He began to advance. He tried to reach out and touch the Force.

Be with me, he thought.

Be with me.

"You should never have come back, pup," Targo growled, "You will find no mercy here."

Jas smiled.

"Hopefully you fight better than your apprentice did," he called out, "Kelek Bobb fell begging for his worthless life."

If Targo was insulted he did not show it, he simply took another step, and then another.

"You should not have come back," he repeated.

Jas shrugged.

"We'll see."

He ignited his lightsaber. The Force seemed to ripple out from it; Jas could feel the eyes of the clan upon him, and upon Targo.

He dropped into a fighting stance, an Ataru guard.

Targo Sei lunged forward.

Jas shifted his blade, prepared to meet the large man's attack.

As he did, Targo suddenly shifted tactics. He fired his jetpack, as he stepped back.

Targo shot into the air; he fired his pistols in rapid succession.

Jas parried the blasts and began to advance.

Targo fired his wrist rockets. Explosions churned up the ground around the young man.

He spun in the air, pirouetted and came up ready to use the Force to meet the next attack.

He would send Targo's next round of explosions back at him.

He would shove them down the large Mandalorian's throat!

Targo shot forward, his bulk becoming a missile.

Jas tried to side step.

Too late!

Targo raised his right arm.

His smart rope snagged the boy's wrists.

Targo fired his jets and shot into the air,

Jas Dar Bynn was yanked off his feet, He found himself flying behind his opponent.

He tried to cut the smart rope; to free himself before he got any higher, he could use the Force to slow his descent, he was sure of it.

Targo again surprised him.

He cut his rockets and dropped like a stone.

Jas was suddenly falling.

Targo grabbed him as they fell, his hands wrapping around the boy's shoulders.

The visored helmet came forward, too quick for Jas to avoid.

The world turned white, something snapped in Jas' face, he tasted blood.

Targo struck again, head-butting the boy a second time.

Jas was left disoriented.

He did not know which way was up or down.

He lost his lightsaber.

Targo kicked him away, he fired his jetpack.

Jas Dar Bynn was yanked through the air.

He came down hard, yet even that did not stop him.

He found himself being dragged over the plain. He bounced and skidded against the ground.

He struck the hard ground again and again.

Jas tried to regain his composure, to stop this.

He somehow found his feet, he was still being dragged, but at least he would not be breaking bones with every skidding turn.

He tried to focus on the smart rope, in that moment it was his entire world, there was nothing else, just him and the cord.

The Force let him do the impossible.

The cable snapped.

Jas Dar Bynn tumbled, and somehow turned it into a forward roll.

He found himself back on his feet, he was battered, bloodied, and unarmed, but he was back on his feet.

He shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs, he did not have long.

Targo banked hard and flew back at him; he reached out to grab his opponent, to pull him back up into the sky. Or maybe slash his neck with a blade built into one of his gauntlets.

Jas did not give him the chance.

He gestured and the Force responded.

A geyser of dirt shot up before the missile that was Targo Sei. It threw him off-course; he tried to bank away again.

Jas did not let him, not this time.

He leapt into the air.

His hands found the larger man's neck; he wrapped his arms around him, as the Mandalorian tried to shoot skyward again.

Not again, Jas thought.

Not this time!

Let go you little rodent!" Targo snarled.

"Let go!"

Jas did not obey, he tightened his grip.

I got you now!

Targo killed his jets again, and let them fall. He tried to reach around and hammer his foe.

Jas folded his knuckles and jabbed at his enemy.

The blow caught Targo Sei in the throat, the Mandalorian gagged. He began to struggle, trying to get some distance between himself and his smaller opponent.

He managed to break Jas' grip, but the boy did not fall away, he held onto the larger man's armor. Targo kneed him in the gut, and struck him in the jaw with an elbow.

Jas responded with another shot to the throat, Targo got his chin down, it blocked most of the blow, but during the struggle he must have hit something he should not have.

Targo's Jet pack fired again, but this time they were too close to the ground.

Jas, either by luck, or the Force, managed to maneuver his opponent beneath him.

Targo Sei struck the ground his head bouncing once, twice, three times across the rocky terrain.

He lost his grip on Jas, the boy rolled away as the Mandalorian continued to skid across the ground.

Something in his rocket pack finally broke; a loud angry pop filled the air.

The jets cut out.

Targo tumbled to the ground; he gasped and grunted in pain.

Jas stood before him; he reached out with both his hand and the Force.

His lightsaber flew into his grasp; he ignited the blade with a hiss.

Gasping Targo staggered to his feet, his T-visor cracked his helmet dented.

"Rodent," the Mandalorian spat, "Weakling."

Jas' eyes narrowed, his temper starting to flare.

"No more flying," he shouted, "No more explosives, no more tricks."

He spun his blade defensively.

"Let's finish this."

Targo's left arm shot up.

Jas spun away.

A jet flame leapt towards the boy, but even that was not enough to stop him.

No more tricks, he thought.

"We finish this…NOW!"

He ducked forward, beneath the blast slicing at the larger man's legs.

Targo back pedaled, he drew a wicked looking vibroblade from his belt, while a longer larger blade popped from one of his gauntlets.

He stabbed forward.

Jas parried the blow and pushed forward, getting inside the larger man's guard.

Targo had no choice but to fall back, he backed up as Jas chopped, slashed and stabbed out with his lightsaber, the air turned purple with the spinning blade, its hum filling the air like a swarm of angry wasps.

Targo Sei was incredibly fast for a man of his size; he managed to get past Jas' guard he back handed the boy, sending him staggering back. He slashed out with his longer blade, but found only air. Jas' head snapped back.

The boy was no longer thinking; if he took the time to think, he would be dead.

He let the Force guide him, guide his blade.

It made him fast and strong.

Targo Sei was not happy with that.

He roared like an enraged rancor!

He slashed and stabbed at his opponent.

Jas danced around the larger man's weapons, giving him no chance to think about using his flame thrower, grenades, or rockets.

He is no match for you, the darkness within the boy whispered.

He is nothing.

Jas smiled with bloodied lips.

Finish this folly!

End this.

Kill HIM!

"DAMN YOU!" Targo roared.

"DIE!"

No, Jas Dar Bynn thought.

Not today.

When the end came it was quick.

Jas was ready.

His foot lashed out, he thought to sweep the larger man's leg, but instead his foot found his knee, Targo had lost one of his leg bracers, it had come away during his skidding crash to the ground.

Jas' foot struck hard.

The knee cap snapped.

Targo cried out in pain.

He stumbled.

The Mandalorian drew a blaster, Jas sliced through it with his blade. He turned his spin into a kick, the helmet saved Targo from a broken jaw, but he fell hard to the rocky ground.

"No," he bellowed angrily.

"Not you!"

The cracked T-visor glared up at the boy.

"NOT BY YOU!"

Jas sneered at him.

"You brought this on yourself," he hissed.

Jas' hand shot forward.

The Force sent Targo Sei flying. He bounced across the battlefield, his armor saving him from more than a few broken bones.

Jas did not let up.

He had tolerated Targo for too long, far too long.

The time had come to end this.

He leapt on top of his foe, pinning him to the ground.

Targo tried to swing out with his long blade.

Jas brought his elbow down where there was no armor to protect the other man's arm.

He heard a satisfying crack.

Targo howled.

It was a howl that was cut short.

Jas' fingers tightened around the larger man's throat.

He began to squeeze.

Jas Dar Bynn glared down at him.

The first time they had met, Targo Sei had choked him, lifted him up, and threatened him with death.

It had been a long time.

He had waited such a long time to repay the favor.

"You are dead," Jas hissed.

Targo coughed and gagged but did not respond; his eyes never left his enemy, the one he hated most of all.

It only enraged Jas further.

I can do it, he realized.

I can kill him.

I can seize the clan. Ellis will support me.

The realization excited him.

He could have the clan.

He could lead them into a new future!

In that moment the Force offered Jas Dar Bynn a vision, what was to come if he followed this path.

It was…intriguing.

He saw himself years from now, clad in Mandalorian armor, armor as black as the void of space, and the heart that beat beneath that breast plate was far colder than that.

He was both beautiful and terrible.

Glorious!

Jas Dar Bynn would be gone; he would not be that weak boy anymore.

I will lead them back to Mandalore, he realized, he would lead them back, and becoming far more. One by one Clan Nuna would conquer the other clans, all would swear an oath of allegiance to the chieftain of Clan Nuna, in time Jas would be forgotten; there would be only Mandalore, Mandalore the Dark, Mandalore the Wicked.

The clans would be united again, and when the time came…

Jas shuddered.

What?

He saw a vast fleet emerging from the shadows, an army whose time had come round at last. He…he…

He swallowed hard.

No.

The throne in his mind's eye was made of shadow, and upon that throne sat something that was not alive or dead.

It was a shadow, and it was hungry.

Mandalore the Wicked would welcome it with open arms; it would make him even stronger.

He dropped to his knees, pledging the clans to the shadow, binding them to it forever.

They would be slaves, and he would be the slave master, the shadow would make him.

No.

Jas shook his head.

No.

The vision faded.

He found himself back on the battlefield, his hands around Targo's throat.

The warrior was no longer struggling.

Jas took an unsteady breath, he was hurt. His nose was likely broken.

It was over.

Targo was beaten.

He had won.

He had won.

He heard footsteps behind him. Ellis and Coop, through the Force he could sense the rest of the clan approaching.

It was time.

All he had to do was kill Targo and he would be clan chieftain, the path that he saw would open up before him. The violence of the Mandalorian life would draw him down the dark path.

He would become a servant of evil. He would be a servant of the shadow, that monster on the dark throne.

He shivered.

Impossible. He thought.

That darkness had ended years ago, it had died with Revan and the triumvirate that had replaced him.

The Sith were gone. They were extinct.

They could not come back.

Jas pulled his fingers away from Targo's throat; the man moaned weakly, he still lived.

Jas frowned down at him.

It was more than he deserved.

"It is over," Jas murmured to himself.

Not just the fight, he realized, but everything else.

Jas shook his head.

His time among Clan Nuna was done.

He could no longer stay here.

"Jas?"

Coop's voice brought him back.

He nodded.

"Yeah," he said to his old friend.

"I'm here."

Ellis nodded down at him; Jas could feel the other man's respect.

"My chieftain," he said snapping to attention.

All around them the other clan members followed suit.

"MY CHIEFTAIN!"

Jas shook his head.

No, he realized.

That is something that I can never be.

It was something that I was never meant to be.

He stumbled to his feet.

"Clan Nuna," he croaked, "You…you honor me."

He spat blood and shook his head.

"But it is a role that I cannot accept."

There was a murmur of confusion among the group.

They had not expected that.

Most warriors tried their whole lives to become chieftain.

They won't understand, Jas realized.

I must make them understand.

"I have not sworn the creed," he said, "I don't think I ever will, but in this moment, as both my first and last official act as your chieftain. I can ensure the future of this clan.

He nodded as he looked over his brothers and sisters.

"A clan needs a chieftain, a warrior capable of leading them into a new era."

His eyes fell on Ellis.

"You need a true Mandalorian, a true chieftain, and he stands before you. Ellis Nuna."

Jas dropped to his knee.

"My chieftain," he called out.

The rest of the clan looked around, but then…he felt the shift, the acceptance.

As one they agreed.

Every clan needed a leader.

Clan Nuna now had a good one.

Ellis was the one who would lead.

He was worthy.

He was ready.

The clan accepted what Jas had said. As one they shouted out their approval.

"MY CHIEFTAIN!"

Ellis looked down on his battered and bloody friend.

Jas nodded.

You know what is needed, he thought.

Accept it.

You must.

Ellis sighed.

"I accept," he said.

He stood taller, stepping into his new role.

"I accept."


	8. Farewell

**Chapter 8: Farewell**

"Where will you go?"

Jas smiled slightly.

It was a good question, a very good question…

…and, at the moment, Jas Dar Bynn did not know.

"Coop says he has a line on a job," Jas informed the new chieftain, "He says that they are looking to hire on more people."

Jas glanced around his quarters on the Nuna ship, the one he had shared with Coop all these years. His friend had already cleaned out everything that he had wanted to take with him, and Jas had never been one for keepsakes.

Everything that he had been since the clan had found him years ago was now in a single back pack. Someone would have called that sad, but not the young man who had grown up in these quarters.

It had been home. Despite being away from everything he had known in his first nine years of life, this place had become his home. The clan had become his family.

He felt a brief twinge of regret.

_He would miss this place._

"I will stay with Coop for a time, see how it goes."

Ellis sighed, even with his face hidden behind his helmet; Jas could tell that he was not impressed.

"The people that Coop means to work with, you do know that they are smugglers, right?"

Jas laughed lightly.

"Who knows, the smuggler life may be right for me."

"Uh huh," Ellis said, the young warrior crossed his arms over his chest.

He did not wish for Jas to go, if it was not for the young recruit's actions, Ellis probably would have been dead, and Targo would be preparing to lead the clan in some foolish scramble for power.

Jas had stopped that.

I made a promise, Jas thought, Mom did not want her legacy stained in blood and deception.

In hindsight, it had been a stupid move on his part, had Targo won, he would have cemented his control of the clan, maybe even have used the victory as proof that he was superior and that Jedi were too weak to stand against him.

But that did not happen, I won.

Not all the clan agreed with that victory of course, the Force had been his ally during that fight, perhaps it was the only reason that he was still here.

Some in the clan might have called that cheating, that he had had an unfair advantage.

Then again, how was it unfair? Targo had had his armor and weapons. Jas had had the Force and his lightsaber. Despite his victory Jas had spent three days in a Kolto tank after that fight, broken ribs, dislocated shoulder, and more cuts and abrasions than he really wanted to think about.

In the end it had not been about weapons, it had been about strength, and that was something that the people of Mandalore knew a lot about.

The Mandalorians respected strength, and Jas had finally proven his to the entire clan. That proof brought respect. He had challenged the chieftain and won. He had been a chieftain himself for about thirty seconds.

He understood why Ellis would have liked him to stay, but that was the problem.

Jas understood it too, and he was fairly sure where that path would lead him. The vision of him as a Mandalorian Warlord, it _haunted_ him. If he stayed he would need to swear the creed, and become a full soldier, and if he did that, he was lost. The violence of clan life would pull him in that direction, towards becoming the dark warrior he had seen, he was sure of it.

It was for that reason that he needed to go. He did not wish to become something that would cause so much harm.

He would have liked to stay, stay with the people who had become his second family, but in staying, he would likely destroy everything they wanted and believed in.

It is why I have to go, he thought.

It was a road that Jas Dar Bynn would never walk.

"If you stayed, you could be my second," Ellis offered, "The others would listen to your counsel, you have proven yourself to them."

Jas chuckled.

"Even after turning down the chance to be chief?"

"Especially for that," the chieftain said, "Strength is not always about wielding power; sometimes you need to know when to let it go, to let it pass to those who can wield it better for the greater whole. There are tales of such warriors throughout our history, they were the bridges that helped define our clans and guided our greatest leaders."

Jas nodded, again he was tempted.

He could stay, under those conditions, he could advise Ellis, help him understand the light and the path.

Were the Jedi not teachers? Were they not supposed to serve as an example, what might be if the galaxy found the true balance?

The two of them could make something of their clan; they could become an example for every clan in the galaxy. They could return to Mandalore, Jas could show the troubled world the light. Clan Nuna could be a guiding light for the other clans. They could…

He stopped himself right there, he reached out with the Force, to try and see what might happen under such circumstances.

No visions came to him, but they did not need to, Jas knew what life was like within the clan.

He could guess what would happen.

He could be a guide, but that path would be resisted, how would it not be?

Many Mandalorians still hated the Jedi.

They would be hesitant to any guidance he could offer, some would likely resist, violently.

Yes, he could show them the path, but that would not change the fact that the clan's enemies would resist them. If anything happened to Ellis then Jas, his second, would be right back where he had started from, on the road to becoming a warlord, a monster.

If Ellis died by an enemy's hand, the clan would expect vengeance, and it would fall to his second to carry it out, yes, Jas knew what would happen then.

No, as tempted as he was, he could not do it.

He would not risk being the trigger of a new round of Mandalorian Wars.

Jas smiled at the new leader of Clan Nuna.

"Mother chose you well," he said, "You speak eloquently, and even have me reconsidering my plan, but that just proves what Mom thought about you."

He walked up Ellis and put his hands on the other man's shoulders.

"You are ready for this. Mom knew when the time came you would be ready."

He stepped back.

"You don't need some Jedi runt telling you what to do."

Ellis sighed.

"Perhaps," he said, "Still it is not fair. You won a great victory; you should not have to leave your home because of it."

The chieftain shook his head.

"Even in defeat, it seems that Targo won, you are leaving us, just as he always wanted."

Jas snorted at that.

Yes, he was leaving, but it was not because he had been cast out, he was leaving to protect the people he had come to care for.

It was funny, during his time at the Jedi Temple; all of his lessons had suggested that the Mandalorians were nothing more than hired thugs, warriors whose concept of honor was tainted by the dark side.

The Jedi had not understood.

There was violence in the clans, that was true, but their honor was not tainted, it was simply different from what the Jedi accepted honor to be.

It was easy to look down from the temple's high towers and criticize, but if one actually got down in the mud and the blood and took a truly hard look at what was going on.

They would have seen a different picture of the sons and daughters of Mandalore.

They would see the value of the Mandalorians. They were not mere thugs, but warriors trying to find their way in the universe, they took in the lost and the weary and gave them direction. They had faced the harsh reality of their world, and later the galaxy and they had endured. They had stumbled in the past, been manipulated, but that was no failing.

They were still trying to find their way. When the clans had been defeated, they did not stay broken in the mud, they got back up. They rebuilt. They endured.

Even the staunchest of Jedi Master should have been able to respect that.

The Mandalorians were a strong and honorable people.

Of course, there were exceptions to every rule.

Jas frowned.

Targo.

He had let his ambitions blind him, he had thought war and an alliance with dark forces was what was needed to bring them home.

He had been wrong…

…and he had been punished for it.

The thought gave Jas Dar Bynn pause.

He hoped that he had done the right thing.

Two weeks after their duel, the clan had found themselves on an ugly no name moon in a distant star system. The planetoid was far from the major trade lanes, with enough water and food to survive for quite some time, but it was also a cruel and dangerous world, a world of lethal predators and harsh weather.

It was here that the clan had carried out the sentence that had been passed on the traitor, Targo Sei.

It was here that the fallen warrior would begin his exile.

By defeating him in single combat, Jas had won the right to determine his foe's fate. He could have called for the man's execution. He could have died by firing squad, or put out the nearest airlock when the ship had first left atmosphere.

Jas had not done that.

Targo's sentence was to be cast out of Clan Nuna, never to return. His helmet was taken, and his face revealed for all of his enemies to see.

By the code of the clans, by the purist philosophy that Targo had practiced, he would never be allowed to put it on again.

His enemy had unmasked him, just as Mother Nuna had been unmasked. He would never be able to stand on the surface of Mandalore and claim his honor was intact.

It was an insult of the first order, but that was the whole point.

Some might have called the sentence that Jas had passed over him as foolish, as a Jedi's mercy, but that was not it.

Mercy was the farthest thing from Jas Dar Bynn's mind when he chose exile for his old enemy.

He did not deserve a clean death, not after everything that he had done. Being forced to live unmasked, that he had needed an enemy's mercy to survive, that would gall Targo more than anything else that Jas could have accomplished.

No, life was not a mercy, not in this case, Targo would be forced to live with his defeat, his failure, for one as proud as he; that was the ultimate punishment, the cruelest stroke.

It would not make up for Mother Nuna's death, but it was a start.

It was a start.

Jas and Coop had stood close to Ellis when the time of the final sentence was passed. The clan gathered in the main hold of their ship to see the prisoner begin his sentence.

Targo had been marched into the hold by two armed guards. Despite his intimidating size, he seemed diminished by his defeat. His cruel hard features revealed for all to see.

Brown haired with a receding hair line and broken nose, Targo no longer seemed the monster he had to Jas when he was a boy of nine.

As was the tradition, Targo was permitted to bring with him only what armor and weapons he had had on him when he had finished the duel. Two grenades, a vibroblade, a flame thrower with a nearly exhausted fuel tank, and a pair of pistols, one whose power pack was completely drained, the other damaged when Jas had send him skidding across the ground.

Those weapons had been packed inside a single survival case, along with a basic medical pack, and a small holdout blaster with a single shot.

The holdout had been Coop's idea, something he had heard about ancient sailors being set adrift by their comrades.

A cruel mercy, if things got too bad for the prisoner.

Targo had limped into the hold, he had been permitted only basic medical attention after the fight, just enough to make sure that he would not die of his injuries his first few days on the planet.

His knee cap had been shattered, his arm broken. Targo would likely walk with a limp for the rest of his days, and his left arm would never be as steady as it had once been.

All because of his defeat, because of Jas, at least, that is how Targo likely saw it.

He glared up at his clan brothers and sisters. Ellis had given the chance for any of Targo's followers to join their leader in exile. If they still believed him the best one to lead them, they would be permitted to accompany him, to help him survive.

Not a single soldier took up that offer. Targo Sei's dream of clan leadership had apparently died with his defeat at the hands of young Jas Dar Bynn.

That did not mean that Ellis had forgotten about those followers, a few soldiers had returned with Targo after the Kuat job. They would be watched closely and discreetly in the coming months.

If they tried anything, if they wanted to continue Targo's agenda, or find a way to free him later, they would be disappointed.

Ellis would not show any mercy to such traitors, his response would be swift and final.

As the new leader, Ellis looked down at his former superior, Targo glared angrily up at him.

"Do you have anything left to say before this sentence is carried out?"

Targo sneered at him.

"YOU'RE DEAD!" he spat, "This clan won't last six months without me! The Republic will hunt you down and kill you for what you've done."

"We have been hunted before," Ellis said dismissively, "We will survive."

Targo spat on the deck and glared up at Jas, his eyes burning with hate and disdain.

"You should have killed me, runt. You think that I'm going to forget what you stole from me? You think that I'm just going to let you go on like nothing ever happened?"

Jas said nothing.

He had nothing to say.

For so many years he had been intimidated by this man.

No more.

He had defeated Targo in battle, and if he needed to, he would do so again, if needed, permanently if that is what the Mandalorian wanted.

"You should focus on surviving the next few days," Jas advised him, "You are going to need all your strength."

Targo spat on the deck again.

"Don't worry about me, I don't die easy, pup, and one day, you will find out just how strong I am."

He looked around at his brothers and sisters, the ones he had betrayed, and now felt that they had betrayed him.

"You will all answer for this one day! You will all pay!

Ellis gestured to the guards; he had heard enough of Targo's venom.

The guards raised their blasters as the boarding ramp lowered; revealing a hot jungle surface, even over the tick and hiss of the ship, the distant cries of animals could be heard in the jungle.

Targo sneered and picked up his survival pack, the weapons case would not unlock until the ship had left the atmosphere.

"Until we meet again," he shouted angrily, "AND WE WILL MEET AGAIN!"

Targo Sei limped down the loading ramp, his damaged armor clinking against the survival case that the clan had offered him. No further word had been said, none were needed.

Targo Sei was no longer a member of Clan Nuna.

His days among them were done.

Jas reached out with the Force, what he sensed did not surprise him.

Hate and rage, that was the only thing left in Targo Sei, that…and the desire for revenge.

If he ever escapes this place…?

Jas did not have to think further on that.

He knew what would happen if Targo ever escaped his exile here.

He nodded grimly.

And on that day, if it ever comes, I will be ready.

Targo did not look back as the loading ramp began to rise. He limped into the jungle, carrying his meager supplies, trying to hold on what was left of his tainted honor.

Jas shook his head.

Despite everything, he hoped that the man would find peace one day, that he would realize his mistake and try to move on from it, to find redemption.

The part of him that had touched the darkness scoffed at that idea, creatures like Targo Sei never learned.

He would die seeking vengeance, and if he came after Jas or the rest of the clan that is what would happen.

The chance of life was only offered once.

If he came back, he would find no reprieve.

That was the way.

Justice.

IOI

Things had started to return to normal after that, or rather, as close to normal as an exiled clan of Mandalorians ever got. Jas returned to his duties, but at the same time, was now asked to sit in with Ellis during meetings with the clan's leadership. The change had surprised him at first, as had the respect that the veteran soldiers that now served as Ellis advisors showed him.

It seemed that Ellis was right. Respect had been earned.

The group retreated to the far outer rim, looking to escape Republic scrutiny. They spent the next few weeks salvaging and offering their services, for a price. The Rim worlds cared little for what happened in the core, with the age of expansion all eyes were turned outward, it was easy for Clan Nuna to get lost.

Of course, they still needed to make the occasional supply run, one of those runs were to a space station loosely affiliated with the Republic. They brought back a recording that confirmed what Jas had suspected all along.

His time with the clan was done.

The bounty puck had come from one of the guild offices on the station. The reward of thirty thousand credits for the head of the Dark Jedi that led the raid on the Kuat Drive yards, and murdered a group of religious pilgrims.

Though grainy, clearly captured from security footage, it was clear that the Dark Jedi that they were referring to was none other than Jas. The puck gave no mention of the Sunset Collective, or of Clan Nuna.

A small favor that last part, it was likely that the Republic was considering the clan just hirelings, manipulated by some dark side master mind.

Jas shook his head.

A dark side mastermind?

Right.

After naming Ellis his successor, he had toyed with the idea of returning to the Republic. He had thought of going to a Jedi Enclave and turning himself in. Though, he could not say what kind of welcome he would get if he did so. He had been missing almost six years now, he was not even sure that they would take him back.

Most of the senior Jedi would likely see him as being contaminated, that he had been outside the order for too long, and was no longer fit to continue his training.

If he had had any thought of taking the risk and going back to the order, seeing that puck changed his mind.

The order could not simply take him back now, he would likely be put on trial for the Kuat Drive Yards attack, provided that some bounty hunter, or Jedi Shadow did not kill him outright.

Jas had sighed when he finished reading the information on that puck.

The legacy of Darth Revan endured. It had been almost two centuries since the dark lord's defeat, but the memory of what a Dark Jedi could do still remained, as did the desire to make sure that it never happened again.

Jas was no fool. The Kuati would be looking for someone to blame. He suspected that a fair trial would be unlikely; too many credits had been lost when the shipyards had burned. As for the Jedi, they would likely not intervene on his behalf, he had been away too long.

Many of the masters would see sacrificing him as the right thing to do, to make sure that Republic remained happy, and the Kuati had the justice they desired.

Nine year old Jas Dar Bynn would not have accepted that evaluation, he simply would have wanted to go home. Fifteen year old Jas had become far more realistic, or cynical, he had come to understand that life outside the order was not black and white and good and bad.

He did not see how returning to the Republic would do anything but see him used as a scapegoat. It was galling, but he accepted that harsh truth.

At the same time, he could not stay with the clan. No one here would turn him in for the bounty; at least he did not think so, but what of the people that the clan dealt with? What of the merchants that they traded with, who had seen Jas in the past?

Eventually, hunters would come looking for him, and if they did not, the Jedi Shadows certainly would. These were the orders best hunters, men and women that had pledged their lives to stop the spread of the dark side and its artifacts.

Would a shadow listen if he told them what happened?

Would they even care?

They would likely see him as an anomaly, and view him as a threat because he had been raised among a violent Mandalorian Clan, they would likely terminate him as a precaution, to make sure that he did not become a champion of the dark side one day.

All he knew was that the clan would suffer, he did not want that.

He would do what was necessary.

If the Republic was so interested in him, so be it.

He would lead the hunters away, and then, he would vanish.

He considered leaving on his own, but Coop would not hear of it.

As Mother Nuna had known, his old friend had no desire to swear the creed; he had grown interested in the "Creative Shipping" business.

When Jas had first mentioned going off on his own, leading the hunters away. Coop would not hear of it.

"You will just get yourself killed if you go off alone."

"Maybe," Jas said with a shrug, "What is the alternative?"

Coop flashed him a cocky grin.

"Come with me, I finally heard back from Randa, her crew has some openings."

His old friend laughed.

"They could use a guy with your skills, old buddy."

Jas frowned.

"Randa's people still work off of Ord Mantel, right? That is a Republic world."

"Yeah, but they also spend most of their time jumping from world to world," Coop reminded him, "We will be on the ship for days, months."

He chuckled.

"Besides, who would think to look for a Republic fugitive within the Republic? Most people would expect a fugitive to make for the farthest planet orbiting the farthest star and never look back."

Jas considered that.

"Yeah," he said dryly, "No one would be dumb enough to hide in plain sight, especially on a Republic planet."

"I would not call it dumb, but…"

Coop smirked.

"I think you get the idea.

Jas nodded.

He did.

From what he had heard from Coop, Randa Halcyon's people were no that much different than Clan Nuna, they were not killers or slavers. They simply took advantage of the Republic bureaucracy; certain worlds had high tariffs on goods that could be purchased far more cheaply in the core.

Most people did not want to pay those tariffs, and were willing to pay a little more to get those goods. That is where the smugglers that Randa joined came in.

As long as the cost was still below the Republic Tariffs, business could still be done.

Jas nodded again.

It was not the worst idea, he supposed.

He would have to be careful, still, he would be far away from the clan, and if any Jedi Shadows came looking; no one here would know where he was.

It was not a perfect solution, but at least he would not be totally alone.

Coop was a friend.

He did not think that his old friend would betray him.

"No one can know my past," he said, "As far as the crew is concerned I'm just another normal recruit."

"They won't hear anything from me, buddy, that is for sure."

Jas smiled.

He accepted that, both that, and the new life that Coop was offering.

Jas the smuggler.

It would take some getting used to.

"So you will come?" Coop asked, his eyes lighting up, "Come on, Jas, it will be nice having someone around to watch my back."

Jas smiled.

Knowing Gabe Cooper he would need all the help he could get.

Okay," Jas said taking his friend's hand.

"I'm in."

IOI

Both Coop and the shuttle were waiting when Jas and Ellis arrived on the hangar deck. One of the clan's supply ships, it had more than enough fuel to make it to the nearest inhabited world. From there Jas and Coop would be able to get transport to Ord Mantel; it had been arranged through Randa, who had arranged it through her captain.

She had spoken highly of the two boys.

Their presence on Ord Mantel was expected.

Jas nodded thoughtfully as he looked at the shuttle.

Six years ago he would have wanted nothing more than to get into a shuttle and go back to a Republic world. He had wanted so bad to return to the order and to his training.

Now…he wondered why that had been so important.

The Jedi were doing good, but being a member of the order was not the only way to do so. Jas wanted to believe he had made a positive impression on this clan.

He wanted to believe that he had made Mother Nuna proud.

He turned back to Ellis, despite his nerves; he was already proving to be a good leader. Jas would not be surprised if the clan was back on Mandalore within five years.

The clan had gained more than it had lost, and now, with Mother Nuna dead, there was nothing holding them back from going home.

Jas wished them well.

Ellis stopped him before he boarded the shuttle, he stopped them both. He embraced both Coop and Jas one by one.

"Never forget who you are," the young chieftain advised, "You may not wear our armor, but you are of our clan. We do not forget our brothers. This is the way."

"This is the way," Jas and Coop repeated.

"Take care of yourselves," Ellis said, "And if you must fall in battle, die well."

"Same to you buddy," Coop said grinning, "Me I'm hoping from dying at an extreme old age."

"Then may you find that as well," Ellis said, "Fair travels, Gabriel Cooper."

"I hope you find what you are looking for, Jas Dar Bynn."

"And you as well, Ellis of Clan Nuna. May the Force be with you."

"And with you little brother," The Mandalorian replied.

"Always."

**A/N: Well end of the first story arc of Jas' history, what did you think? I will try not to take so long with the next one. Avy's journey will be continuing as well, in the meantime: May the Force be with you, Dear Readers, Always.**

**DG **


	9. Don't

**Chapter 9: Don't…**

Another world…another cantina.

Jas Dar Bynn stumbled out into the night, nearly tripping over an inebriated Duro in the process. He somehow managed to find the street, without ending up flat on his face. Behind him music blared, glasses clinked, and spacers laughed. The revels were in full swing, and would probably be for the rest of the night. For the moment, no one was going anywhere; the entire city of Zu-Xux was under lockdown.

Which meant that Jas and his crew had nowhere to go, none of the off-worlders did, by order of the local government, no ships could leave. Sometime tomorrow, some port authority officials would be coming to offer the captains a chance to purchase travel passes, but that would be on a case by case basis

_It would also be expensive_, Jas did not doubt that.

In such situations, things were _**always**_ expensive.

Things were a little tense in Zu-Xux tonight, not that Jas could say why. Something was going on with the people in power. Trouble was brewing, Jas could feel it.

He could feel it, but he chose to _ignore_ it.

In the last three years he had learned to live by a simple rule, it made his life as a smuggler far _**easier**_.

_Don't get involved._

Those words had served him well.

He took a deep breath of the evening air, trying to clear his head. He could taste the salt on his tongue, Zu-Xux, the capital city of the planet, was built on a coastline. He liked the sea air, maybe it was because he spent so much time on a ship, breathing only the recycled variety, fresh air was something that he treasured, and it was just what he needed to clear his head. Though he had drank very little tonight, the locals smoked some type of plant that had strange…effects on the sentient mind. Jas had not partook of any himself, but just being in the smoky room, where so many beings **were, **had given him a taste of its…effects.

It was not _unpleasant_, he supposed, but at the same time, he did not care for it. Jas preferred to keep his head clear; the world that he lived in now was hardly safe.

It did not pay to get distracted.

He took another deep breath, and let it out slowly. He wiped at his nerf skin jacket, trying to remove the sand that seemed to get everywhere here on Bantoon. It was an attractive world by human standards. Tropical with white sandy beaches and clear blue seas. The Bann, as the locals called themselves took great pride in their world and their walled cities. The walls were a holdover from the planet's more war-like past, back when each enclave had been a city state and they had fought for dominance over each other.

That infighting had ended long ago, or so the guidebook that Coop had found at the spaceport terminal had claimed. The noble houses had long ago formed a council of lords and commoners, it was _**they**_ that represented the various cities, and provided guidance to the higher ups. The most powerful of those lords had been named High General, and his wife the Queen, thus establishing the Matriarchy of the Bann, the system that had ruled since the unification. The lords fought and protected their worlds while the Queen Mother and the ladies of the court governed and spoke for the people. Since that time, Bantoon had spoken with a single voice; the result of their first contact with off worlders.

Jas was guessing the experience had not been pleasant, considering how far locals went to keep themselves separated from any visitors. The spaceport itself was walled off, with no off-worlder allowed out in the city proper after dark; the only exception being if the spacer had an invitation from one of the lords and ladies, something that few ever got.

First contact had happened less than five hundred years ago, not that long ago considering how long that the Republic had stood. Bantoon was a new player on the galactic stage, a mid-rim world but too far away from established trade routes. If not for the age of expansion, the whole planet might have continued to exist in isolation, but now…everything had changed.

The galaxy was starting to take notice of the little world, take notice and seek a piece of what the Bann had to offer.

They were quickly becoming important thanks both to their genetic technology, which was said to be second to none, and to the planet's six moons, moons rich in crystal and ore.

Both the Galactic Medical industry and the various mining guilds were very interested in this planet, so much so that Bantoon was already being considered for full status in the Republic, not just as the province of a larger system, but to have their own senator and a full seat in the galactic government, or so…the book Coop had found claimed.

Good for them, Jas thought, but not really his concern.

_Don't get involved._

The business of senators, High Generals and Queens had little to do with him.

He was a smuggler, or rather, an independent cargo consultant.

He laughed at that last part, something that Coop had said when they first entered this life.

It did sound better than smuggler he supposed, and far less likely to attract attention, and that was what Jas Dar Bynn wanted above.

_Don't attract attention, and don't get involved._

Those were words to live by.

IOI

Currently he was working for the Tyntas Trading group, a gang of loosely independent smugglers out of Ord Mantel. Coop's girlfriend, Randa Halcyon, had introduced the two boys to Ganner Tyntas, the boss of the small outfit, who in turn had hired her on as a mechanic at their main base. They had been fortunate, the group had been looking for more crewers when they had left the clan and decided to seek their fortunes in the greater galaxy. Their experience with Clan Nuna had allowed them to move quickly through the ranks; their days of harvesting and repairing failing technology were useful to their new employer.

Smuggler vessels were always breaking down, and they were always looking for hired hands to help maintain their equipment. Jas and Coop had fit right in.

Tyntas had noticed Coop's ambition early on, ambition that he had not really shown during his clan days. Jas suspected that that had more to do with Randa than anything else. The two had been flirting on and off for years, and now, finally they had a chance to truly be together.

Coop worked hard to impress her, to show her he was more than just some space rat who had decided against becoming a Mandalorian trooper.

He had big plans.

Jas was just along for the ride, but he would do what he could to help.

After all, what were clan brothers for?

The two boys had gone out on many missions together in the last three years, working their way through the ranks of the organization. Coop had been made a bridge officer after his first year of service, with Jas working as his aid. His friend had a knack for dealing with the people that the group worked with, he always seemed to recognize when someone was trustworthy or trouble. He claimed to have a sense for it. When Coop **did **want to take a risk he always consulted his friend first, asking that Jas use his "special talents" to help troubleshoot the problem before they dove in headfirst.

Normally, Jas would have said no, using the Force for personal gain was not really the Jedi way. He had told his old friend that once, and Coop's response had been telling.

"You were never a Jedi, Jas. Why not do what you want?"

It was a good question, but it was also a slippery slope.

Jas was doing his best to keep from sliding down it.

What advice he offered had served them well, and now after only three years of service, Gabe Cooper had command of his own ship, he was a captain in the organization, and Jas was his first office. They and their small crew were now making their first real run for Tyntas. It should have been easy, or so the Boss had assured them.

Of course, that was before the locals locked down the spaceport, and all the trade goods that Coop had picked up through their "sources" here were now stuck on a grounded ship.

Stuck and vulnerable.

If the locals looked too closely at those goods, things might get…complicated. Nothing onboard was illegal, technically, but it did carry high tariffs for being shipped off world, tariffs that the group had no intention of paying, the trip would not have been worth it if they had.

Hence, why their client had turned to smugglers, Coop had promised they would be discreet; now, here they were, locked down.

It was not something that Jas, or anyone else on their crew, wanted.

_We're going to need to find a way out of here_, he thought.

He just didn't see how.

Coop wasn't worried, this was not the first time they had been stuck on some backwater, and he seemed to think that in the morning they would find some eager customs agent looking to make a little extra this month; someone willing to pocket a little extra money. The Tyntas group always kept a few credits aside for "greasing the wheels of bureaucracy." It was just the matter of finding out which of the Bann's people that they could turn to. Who wanted to pick up a few extra credits this month?

Jas…was not so sure.

It was true, they had been locked down before, but this…felt different. Jas could feel it in the Force, a current of malice running under the usual danger that flowed in such places.

He hoped to avoid it; they had done so on other trouble spots throughout the galaxy.

He wanted to do that here.

He had studied Bantoon on the way here, much as he had done on the other worlds they had visited. Some of the people they had worked with over the years had found that funny. They did not understand why the young man was so interested in knowing everything about where they were stopping.

He, of course, had only one answer: it was necessary. Every time he visited a new world he made sure to check if the world hosted either a Jedi Enclave or an office of the bounty hunters guild. As far as he knew, the price on his head was still live. The Kuati had not forgotten the damage done to their shipyards, and Jas' image was still being circulated in law enforcement channels. Jas had done what he could to change his appearance, he lightened and grew out his hair, grew a short goatee. It might fool the average bounty hunter, but if another Force user found him? He would not have been surprised to find that the Jedi Shadows were still keeping an eye out for the boy wielded a violet bladed lightsaber, not that he was a boy anymore.

He had turned eighteen a few months back, by the law, on most worlds, he was considered a man now. It had been almost ten years since the Jedi ship he had been on broke up. Almost ten years since he had been considered a member of the order.

That realization was a bit shocking.

He sometimes wondered what his life would have been like had he stayed with the order? He had been on track to becoming Master Venari's Padawan, to be a student of a member of the Jedi High Council was a great honor indeed. Had he stayed with the Jedi, he likely would have been coming close to taking his trials by now. He, and his twin, would have likely been so close to becoming full Jedi Knights.

The thought made him frown.

He tried to reach out to Sy from time to time. He had tried to get a sense of his brother, let him know he was alive and okay. Jas never got a response back, the Force connection that he had shared with Sy was gone, perhaps he had been too distant for too long.

Perhaps Sy even thought he was dead? Had he mourned? Had he accepted that his twin had entered the living Force? Had he even cared?

Jas frowned.

He tried not to think about such things. He tried not to be bitter about what _could_ have been. Bitterness could turn to hate if one was not careful.

He sighed.

He may not have become a Jedi Knight, but he had built a life for himself. He had friends. He was standing behind them and doing his best to help them succeed.

Was that not the Jedi way?

_But is that all that I will ever have?_ He wondered.

Is that all I'm capable of?

Why was he still trying to walk the Jedi path? Why did he continue to keep his distance from people?

Why?

He was not the only one who asked that question. Some had even tried to help him, give him a chance to start living, what they called a **real** life.

Randa and Coop had recently got him to try dating, it had seemed strange that they would care, but Jas had given it a shot. The young lady that they had set him up with was okay, he supposed, pretty and intelligent. She was another mechanic working for the group.

Jas had been polite, but…he had felt no spark between them. Coop had always talked about how much he desired Randa, how his feelings for her were like an inferno inside his head, his chest pounding like some ancient war drum. How much he wanted to spend time with her, and how, despite the need to be off world, he would miss being at her side, when he wasn't.

Jas had not felt that for the young girl, Jana had been her name. He had not wished to hurt her, but there was simply nothing there.

They spoke cordially to each other ever since, but never talked about going out again. Randa was a little disappointed, according to Coop she worried about his friend. She did not want him to remain so alone when he did not have to be.

Jas was touched by her concern, but it was not necessary.

Jas still had his connection to the Force, the compassion that the Jedi had taught him.

_There was no passion, there was serenity._

He had accepted that fact years ago.

It was neither tragic nor sad.

Jas may not have been a Jedi, but the Jedi way was still apart of him. It was not something he could just toss away.

He could have had more, but it was not something that he coveted.

To have a woman, to take a wife, to have children, he had never really ever considered that.

He simply tried to be the best he could be, to make the best use of his skills.

He would keep to the code.

He would try to remain in balance.

IOI

His head had finally cleared when he heard the first scream. He doubted that anyone else had heard it over the ruckus coming out of the cantina.

Jas' eyes narrowed.

He had heard something, he **knew** he had.

It had sounded like a bottle breaking, and a high pitched scream, a cry for help.

He frowned deeply.

_Forget about it._

_Don't get involved._

He knew that was what he _should _do. The galaxy was a dangerous place, bad things happened all the time, and given what he was sensing on Bantoon right now, something bad likely was happening.

_Go back inside and forget about it,_ _have another drink,_ he thought, _it is none of your concern; the galaxy will spin on just fine without you sticking your nose in other people's business. _

He might have done so, had he not heard the cry again, a shout for help that not only rang out through the air, but also through the Force.

He did not think it was the cry of another Force sensitive, he would have felt that, but…it was not just the cry of a mundane either.

He tilted his head slightly.

The Force sometimes moved strangely around certain people, destiny was drawn to them, even if they could not feel it.

That flow could be felt; it created _ripples_ in the Force.

That is what Jas was feeling at that moment, a ripple in the Force, a tremor…likely caused by someone who meant more than what they realized.

That ripple drew his attention; he turned like a Kath Hound, drawn by the scent of prey.

_Don't get involved._

_Don't get involved._

It was the smart thing, but he was not thinking about what was smart right now.

What he was sensing in the Force, it intrigued him.

He had not felt anything like it, ever.

He was curious.

Even though he knew that he should just leave it alone, he was curious.

He found himself drawn away from the cantina, out into the fading light of a Bantoon dusk.

His hand went to his right sleeve, his lightsaber was there, hidden in a specially made holster. Jedi did not approve of hiding their weapons, he knew. Most considered a hidden lightsaber as proof that someone was falling to the darkness, that, or being led astray.

He did not think that was the case. He hid his weapon because he was not trying to draw attention to himself. He was not trying to be a symbol of law and justice.

His choice had nothing to do with the darkness; he had not drawn the weapon in combat since his duel with Targo.

If he was truly in danger of going to the dark side, he would not have hesitated to use it; surely that was proof of something.

_What if you have to use it here?_ His conscience warned; _are you prepared to deal with the consequences?_

He frowned.

_Don't get involved._

_Walk away now._

He could have.

He **should** have, but…he did not.

The Force was guiding him; that is what it felt like.

He would not ignore it.

He moved slowly, yet, deliberately. He took on the tread of a seasoned hunter. His years with Clan Nuna had paid off; he had not simply lived with them, but embraced some of their teachings. He knew that he could never stand among them, but that did not mean that he had not adapted some of their skills and habits.

He could be a hunter when he needed to be, and that was what he was right now, a hunter.

His heart beat quickened.

He was on the trail of some prey.

He was a silent predator, he drew closer…closer.

It was then that he found them, both the source of the ripple in the Force, and what had caused it in the first place. It was in a short alley off one of the docking bays. It was to here that he had been drawn.

He frowned.

_This will not do_, he thought.

_This will not do at all._

There were three of them, two thugs and an older man in an official looking uniform. All three were human, but that is where the similarity ended.

The older man was heavy set, and graying, he had a pencil thin grey mustache and cold dark eyes. The thugs were likely off-worlders; they wore garbs similar to many of the pilots and traders that had been stranded here.

All three radiated cruelty and arrogance, the two thugs were armed with clubs, but they also had blasters on their belts. If something went sideways, Jas would have to move quickly, he did not want to hurt them, but he would not let them hurt their victims, not anymore.

The victims in this case were two young people, a boy and a girl. Their clothing suggested that they were locals, the cut and decoration suggested that they likely came from well-off families.

The boy was on the ground, holding his head; blood ran a cut beneath his scalp, turning his blonde hair an ugly pink. Jas could not get a look at his face, though he was trying to regain his feet.

The girl was…

The girl…

She was something else.

She was young, perhaps eleven or twelve standard years old. She wore a uniform of some sort, perhaps belonging to some school or academy for young people. Her long blonde hair was done up in a braid that fell down the back of her neck. She leaned over the boy trying to shield him with her body, defending him from being struck again. She was looking at her would-be attackers with wide clear blue eyes. Jas could sense her fear, but also a sense of anger and determination.

The girl was not panicking; she was scared, but defiant.

It was _**her**_ that he had sensed; the Force swirled around her, marking her as more than just another person.

What is this, he wondered.

Who exactly are you?

The boy groaned as the men began to close in again, the girl shouted again, causing yet another ripple in the Force.

No one else responded; they were staying away, just as Jas should have been.

Don't get involved.

The girl could have run, could have left her companion, perhaps she **should** have run, but instead she remained where she was, trying to shield the injured boy.

She had no weapons, but still refused to flee.

Brave little thing, Jas thought as he closed the distance between himself and the two youngsters.

"You will be coming with us now, girl," the older man growled, clearly the leader of this pack of thugs, "You should not have tried to flee."

"**Stay away from us,"** the girl shouted back, "**STAY BACK!"**

The two thugs chuckled.

Clearly, they did not see the girl's anger as threatening. They probably thought they had this completely under control.

Jas eyed them coldly.

He was about to show them just how wrong they were.

_Leave now_, his sense of caution shouted inside his head.

_Don't get involved!_

_Don't get involved!_

Sorry, Jas Dar Bynn thought.

Far too late.

Jas cleared his throat, loudly. He had no intention of surprising them.

One of the thugs and their boss turned, the third kept his eyes on the boy and girl. The girl looked up, she did not say anything, but she did not need to.

Jas could hear her plea for help in the Force.

He would answer it.

The thugs did not try to attack him, they looked at their leader, and the heavy set man shook his head, keeping them back at a safe distance.

Jas frowned.

_So they aren't stupid, oh well…he would just have to handle this delicately._

He could do delicate.

The clan had taught him well.

The leader of the group glared at him, it appears that he did not like being interrupted.

"Be gone, spacer" he growled at Jas.

"This does not concern you."

Jas shrugged, technically that was true, but…

He was here now.

He might as well make the best of it.

"What is going on here?" he demanded.

The leader glared at him.

"This does not concern you," he repeated, "Return to where you came from, you want no part in this."

Jas nodded, the man was right, but at the same time…?

He was not one to give up easy, and he did not like bullies.

Targo had been a bully.

He really, really did not like that.

"That boy looks like he needs medical attention," Jas said conversationally, not failing to acknowledge how one of the thugs was trying to skirt around and get behind him.

Sorry fella, he thought.

That is not going to happen.

_How was he going to handle this? He had already broken his one rule, now he had to decide how best to finish this._

He could have drawn his lightsaber, tried to scare the three off, but that might just invite violence, he would rather this not go any worse than it already had.

Of course, a lightsaber was not his _only_ weapon.

The Force was still with him. He may not have been a Jedi Knight, but he had continued to train with the Force, use the lessons he had been taught as a youngling. He had kept those lessons up, sharpened those skills.

He did not have the training to handle a fully trained Jedi, but he did not need to.

These men were thugs.

He was pretty sure he could handle them.

Jas smiled, and reached out to the Force, he could feel its power. The light gently wrapped around him, and filled him up.

"This girl is not the one you are looking for," Jas said, putting the full weight of the Force into his voice.

"You should move on."

"The kid is not the one we are looking for," one of the thugs said in a monotone.

"We should move on, find her," the second added.

The grey haired leader glared.

"What are you fools talking about, the girl is **right** here?"

Damn, Jas thought.

The leader was not as weak minded as his hirelings, and in speaking up he had broken the spell Jas had woven around his two henchmen.

Damn it.

The thugs shook their heads and looked up at Jas, sensing on some level that he had tried to manipulate them.

Their anger and fury was now directed at him. He could sense it.

Jas sighed.

He should not have gotten involved, but it was too late.

He had little choice now.

He shook his head.

"Let them go," he ordered, "Just walk away and you won't get hurt."

The thugs looked at the leader, who was now sneering at Jas.

"Do you have any idea what you have walked into off-worlder? Do you know who I am?"

I don't need to, Jas thought; the Force had told him what he needed to know.

This man was going to hurt this girl and her companion. He wanted to, he was _**eager**_ to.

Jas was not going to let that happen.

"Last warning," Jas said flatly, "Walk away, please."

The older man shook his head.

"Young fool," he said with a smirk.

"Blast him."

The girl screamed.

Time slowed down.

Jas watched as the thugs hands went to their belts, their blasters leaving their holsters.

Fine, he thought sadly.

I'm sorry.

He reached out with the Force.

His training took over.

**SNAP-HISS!**

The lightsaber slid from its sheath and was in his hand, the blade blazed to life like violet fire.

He moved in quickly.

He struck at the thugs weapons, the blade sliced through the barrel of their blasters, before the thugs could respond he pushed out with his hand.

The Force picked the two up and threw them hard against the wall, hard enough to leave them dazed and senseless.

They slid to the ground.

Jas spun to meet their leader he was raising his own blaster, his eyes wide, his mouth forming an "oh" of surprise.

I'm sorry, Jas thought.

I'm sorry.

The leader fired once, twice, three times.

The bolts struck Jas' blade, he was too close to have any control over where they went; he was just trying to parry them away.

_**ARGGHHH!**_

The leader staggered back, grasping his throat.

Jas winced.

_No,_ he thought.

_I didn't want to do this!_

The leader stumbled back against the wall of the alley. The air smelled of burnt meat. He had been struck in the neck by one of his own blaster bolts. The skin blackened as blood ran between his chubby fingers.

He looked at Jas was terror in his eyes; he reached up, gasping, perhaps even pleading for help.

Jas knew there was nothing he could do, he could sense it.

The man in the uniform slid down the wall, gurgling pathetically.

Jas shuddered as he felt the man enter the Force; he slumped down, and fell still.

Jas watched as he passed, felt it, this is what happened when you chose to intervene in other people's business.

He had not wanted to kill the man.

He had **warned** him.

Jas Dar Bynn shook his head.

Too late now.

Seeing their employer die was enough for his two hirelings, they dropped their clubs and fled into the night. Jas was careful though, he did not lower his blade, just in case one of them decided to come back and try to avenge their fallen leader, or their pride.

He kept the blade up, its blade humming gently in the quiet air.

The fight had lasted maybe thirty seconds, and now everything was still.

Jas looked down the alley, at the two young people he had just saved. The boy was still down, groaning weakly, the girl stared at him with eyes wide with fear, the Force screamed with her terror. Her pale skin bathed in the violet light of his blade.

Jas winced, hating himself in that moment.

The poor girl, he thought.

She should not have seen this.

He powered down his lightsaber, the hilt once again disappearing up his sleeve, he raised his hands, letting her see he was not armed.

"It's okay," he murmured, "I'm not going to hurt you. I promise."

The girl said nothing, her mouth worked silently; she looked like she was going to bolt any second.

Jas held her gaze; he reached out with the Force, projecting both calm and compassion.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he repeated, "You're safe."

The girl whimpered, hot tears filled her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

Jas took a step forward, and another. When he was close enough he knelt down.

"I want to check your friend," he informed her, "I'm not going to hurt him, or you."

Jas smiled.

"I promise."

The girl leapt forward.

Jas had expected her to push him down, to run by him and vanish into the night; that did not happen.

The kid was in his arms, she wrapped her skinny arms around his neck sobbing into his shoulder.

Her embrace caught him by surprise. He tensed, not really sure what to do.

Jas Dar Bynn was not really a hugger.

He slowly, carefully, put his arms around her, holding her close.

He was really not sure what to do.

How did one sooth a scared child?

The girl sobbed into his shoulder, she might have been saying something, but he could not hear, her face was pressed against his arm.

He did what he could to comfort her.

"It's okay," he whispered, "its okay.

"You're safe now."

He felt the girl's fear begin to dissipate; the sound of his voice soothing her. She was…

It was at that moment that he felt something cold press against his temple, a hard round muzzle as big as a human finger. He heard the sound of a blaster's safety catch being disengaged.

Jas froze.

He couldn't move, the girl was in his arms, and the blaster was too close. The shooter did not even need to aim, not at this range.

He was trapped!

Don't get involved.

He should have known.

He should have left well enough alone.

He could not see the shooter, they were too close, but the Force radiated with cold resolve, and the willingness to kill.

"BAM, Jedi," a cold angry voice said to his left.

"You're dead."


	10. Get Involved

**Chapter 10: Get Involved**

The blaster pressed to his head did not waver. Both the will and the hand behind it were as strong as Mandalorian iron.

Jas did not move. It seemed that there was a price to pay for breaking his one rule.

Don't get involved.

He now found himself on his knees, holding onto the little girl with a weapon pointed at his head. He tried to think of a way out of this, but came up empty. The Force was useless at this moment, the weapon far too close. As a boy he had heard stories in the Jedi temple of a master who was so skilled in the subtle art of telekinesis that he could freeze the firing stud on a blaster, that no matter how hard the gunman tried, they could not press down, rendering the weapon useless.

Jas frowned.

It was a skill that would have been most useful at that moment, it was also one he did not possess, and besides, from what he remembered, the master that possessed that skill had finally died, when his power proved too slow and he found himself gunned down.

All things ends, he thought, perhaps this is **my** ending.

Strangely enough, he was not angry. He should have been furious at himself, but he wasn't.

He could think of worse deaths than trying to save a child, it was just a shame that his actions would likely end in failure, if this gunman was a part of the group threatening the girl and her friend, he had failed.

It was a bitter pill to swallow, but he did it none the less.

He had only one choice left, one plea left to give. He did not try to bargain or beg; he doubted that that would work; the cold resolve he was feeling from his enemy suggested that it would be a wasted breath.

He said the words, hoped that they would not fall on deaf ears.

"Don't hurt her," he said flatly.

"Leave the poor girl alone."

The blaster did not waver, but he did sense a slight shift in the Force, a wave of concern washed over him, the sense of impending death lessened slightly.

"Let me see those hands, Jedi," the gunman said, "Take them away from the girl, nice and easy."

The blaster dug deeper into his head.

"Don't even think about hurting her, it will be the last thought you ever have."

The words confused him.

Me? Hurt her?

He hadn't been trying to hurt the girl, she had embraced him. He had been trying to comfort her.

Yet, that was not the only thing she said that haunted him.

She called me a Jedi, he thought.

I'm no Jedi.

He slowly raised his hands, he felt the girl let him go, she stepped back and looked upon him, her blue eyes sharp and clear, he sensed no fear, which was strange.

If they were under attack, should the girl not be afraid?

She looked to his left, at the one holding the weapon. She wiped her eyes on her sleeve, still sniffling, but not afraid.

"Step away from him, Vess," the gunman said, "We need to get going."

The girl, Vess, frowned.

"Don't hurt him," she said, "Please."

"He was trying to take you," the voice responded, "He is a Jedi, he serves the Republic Senate."

Jas felt a sense of anger and distaste from his would-be killer.

"He can't be trusted. The Republic is why we are in this mess."

Jas considered what he was hearing.

She has gotten it wrong, he thought, and yes, now that he had a chance to think, he realized that the person holding the blaster on him was a she.

What she is saying doesn't make sense. The Republic doesn't threaten people; it offers a chance to be a part of something greater. As for the Jedi serving the Senate, that is not accurate either.

The Jedi do not serve the Republic. The Jedi are advisors and teachers. The order inspires people. It is meant to serve as an example.

The Republic doesn't control the Jedi.

_You truly believe that_, the cynical side of him asked.

_You are still thinking like a Jedi youngling, in love with the order and its doctrine, you know the truth._

_Accept it._

Jas pursed his lips.

_It was true_, he thought.

He was not a little boy anymore.

In the years he had spent outside the order he had heard things seen things. The Republic expansion was not motivated entirely by altruism, there were profits to be made, and exploiting innocent worlds could be very profitable. The Jedi should have prevented such things from happening, but that was an oversimplification of the galaxy as a whole. The Jedi were sentient beings too, sometimes their desires got in the way of doing what was right, or their ambitions colored their perception of the Jedi code.

It had been a bitter pill to swallow, but in the end, Jas had.

The galaxy, and the Jedi, was not as simple as he had thought as a boy.

It was not black and white, light and dark, it was shades of gray, and sometimes those shades colored the Jedi as well.

It was easy to believe that you were always right when you were sitting in the temple on Coruscant, being fawned over by young knights and apprentices that knew nothing else.

The truth was rarely simple.

Of course, this was not the real issue here, was it?

These people thought him some Republic agent trying to hurt this girl.

_Why?_

_What was going on?_

"I meant the girl no harm," he said, "I heard her scream and tried to help."

"All out of the goodness of your heart, eh, Jedi?" the woman scoffed.

Jas' frown deepened.

"I'm no Jedi," he said flatly.

"And that laser sword you carry is just for show, eh?"

He would have shaken his head if not for the blaster still digging into it.

He sighed.

This one was stubborn.

He doubted if he could make her understand.

"He isn't lying, Val," the girl said, "He tried to help us. He's nice."

Jas almost smiled at that.

Ah, the mind of a child, it was no wonder the Jedi kept choosing younger and younger people to train as apprentices.

Cynics like him had no place among the Jedi.

"Off worlders are dangerous, Vess," the woman Val, said to her, "The Republic wants Bantoon; they will do anything to get it, including send their sorcerers to take it from us."

The little girl's eyes narrowed, she was getting angry.

"He wasn't trying to…"

"I'm only trying to protect you," Val interrupted, "This man…"

"Stop it Val," the little girl said putting her hands on her hips.

"Comply."

Jas felt the blaster shake slightly; a shudder had run down the woman's arm. He was not sure what had happened, but he felt…something. A flash of pain echoed through the Force when the little girl had said that final word.

She continued to glare at the woman threatening him. Jas could feel the Force swirling around the girl. He did not know who this Vess was, but as he had thought before, there was clearly more to her than the eye could see.

"Val, please," she repeated, "Please put your weapon down. He is nice."

The girl stood a little straighter, trying to look more…authorative perhaps.

"Don't make me say the word again, Val, please."

Jas heard a heavy sigh, he felt the blaster come away from his head, and the woman threatening him stepped back.

He took a deep breath and stood up.

_What is going on here_, he wondered.

_What have I stumbled into now?_

He dusted himself off and got his first real look at the woman who had been threatening him.

The woman, Val, was not much older than he was. He would guess she was in her early twenties, with an athletic build, and sharp green eyes. Her dark reddish brown hair was cut short; long only to about her jaw line. She was dressed in black trousers and a short matching jacket. Beneath her coat he could just make out a shoulder holster, her belt had several pouches, likely for ammunition or other devices, he recognized that she was carrying a collapsible baton, and a vibro-blade in her boot.

They had only just met, but he could make a few quick assumptions about this woman, both from how she stood and how easily she had snuck up on him.

She had had training; that was clear, even lowered; she held her blaster in a firm grip, ready to snap it up again at a moment's notice. She was clearly comfortable being armed, and had no qualms about using the weapons she carried. Her stance, the way she stood at rest was also telling, growing up in a Mandalorian clan Jas had gotten used to seeing people move in heavy armor, and how they moved when they were not wearing it.

This girl moved like that. She may not have been wearing armor, but the way she stood, the way she moved suggested she would be more than comfortable if she was.

In short, he summarized, this was not simply some thug for hire. She did not have the swagger of such a person. If he had to guess he would say that this Val was a professional enforcer, or bodyguard. Which would make sense considering how well-dressed the two young people were.

Val continued to glare at him, she was clearly unhappy with this turn of events.

The little girl, Vess came up to her and touched her arm.

"It will be okay," she said.

"Trust me."

Val sighed and shook her head.

"This is a mistake," she said to the girl.

"I'm only trying to protect you."

It was at that moment that young boy groaned and tried to stand up. Jas, Val, and the little girl turned.

Val responded first, she walked over and helped the boy up.

"Alric," she said, "Can you hear me?"

The boy groaned and shook his head, trying to clear it.

"Yeah," he murmured, "Yeah, chief, I can hear you. I…"

Val hissed and swatted him upside the head.

The boy cried out in pain.

"Ah, what was that for?"

"You stupid, murglak," she spat, "I told you to stay at the safe house. I told you to stay put until I returned."

The boy shook his head, gingerly touching the cut there.

"I had no choice," he said, "Lord Rudo showed up with his thugs. He knew the security code to enter; he _**knew**_ them, probably the one for the safe room too."

Val growled angrily, but did not strike the boy again.

An odd trio to be sure.

The girl, Vess moved close to Jas, she reached out and touched his hand.

She smiled up at him; he sensed only warmth and trust there.

He smiled back, causing her to look away quickly.

At least someone here understood what he had tried to do.

At least someone here did not think him an enemy.

The boy leaned against the wall; he pulled out a small vial from his pocket and downed some of the pills inside. Jas was not sure what those were, it was not really the right time to ask.

"Is the ship ready," Alric asked her, "Can we get out of here, now?"

Val shook her head no.

"The ship is being watched, the crew have been taken into custody."

Val hissed under her breath.

The lords aren't taking any chances. I've tried to get ahold of our allies, but not a single one has answered."

She sighed heavily.

"Looks like we are on our own."

The mention of lords should have been enough to stop Jas in his tracks. He should have wished them luck, and that the Force be with them, but he did not.

It was a stupid move on his part, but he could not help it.

The Force had called to him, brought him here.

He would not step back now, not until he understood truly what was going on.

"Excuse me," Jas said drawing Val's attention, "But it seems you are in trouble."

He tried his most innocent smile.

"Maybe I could help."

Val gave him an icy look, it was clear that she wanted to tell him off, likely even shoot him for sticking his nose in her business, but…

He could also sense her desperation.

Whoever these three were, they were in a bad way.

Maybe they could use a little outside help.

_Don't get involved._

The phrase echoed through his brain, and once again, he found himself ignoring it.

He had no real idea why.

He had done his part when he had helped the girl and the boy.

That should have been enough.

Shouldn't it?

Val was hesitant to answer, not that Jas blamed her. She didn't know him, despite what he had done for her young charges. He did not blame her for being careful.

The girl Vess was not so careful.

"We have a ship waiting for us," she said quickly, Val shot her an angry look but that did not stop the young girl.

"A ship was supposed to take us to meet up with my parents, their ship left days ago, but we got stuck here."

The little girl smiled warmly.

"Can you help us, sir?"

Jas frowned slightly.

He wanted to, but this wasn't entirely his call.

Val stepped forward and pulled the girl back, putting herself between the girl and Jas, she was no longer pointing a weapon at him, but that didn't mean that trusted him.

"Before we go any further, she said glaring down at her young charge, "I think some introductions are in order, don't you?"

Jas shrugged, things had been moving rather quickly.

Perhaps it was a good idea to slow things down.

"I'm Char Valenthyne," the young woman said, "This Alric and his…sister Vess."

"Hi," the girl said brightly waving.

"Sir," the boy said.

"Jaster Cooper," Jas said bowing his head in greeting.

He had been using the false name since leaving the clan. He and Coop had similar features and looked close enough that they would likely be mistaken for actual brothers.

He did not dare to use the Jas Dar Bynn name. That name was known to the Jedi order. He had worried that had he continued to use it, it would have been only a matter of time until he was identified and openly sought by the Jedi Shadows.

It was a necessary lie, and he was likely not the only one using one.

He smiled.

The woman had hesitated slightly before linking Alric and Vess; he was guessing that the two were not siblings. They had similar features, but he did not sense the connection he would have expected between siblings. Yes, she had tried to shield the boy, but there seemed to be a distance between the two.

No, he did not believe that the Vess and Alric were brother and sister, but it did not matter.

So they had secrets, so what?

He had his own as well.

He would not fault someone for keeping their own.

"I'm an officer on a trading vessel," he informed them, "We are currently under lock down, like everyone else."

Val gave him a suspicious look.

"Since when does a Jedi Knight work as an officer on a trading vessel?"

The little girl's eyes lit up.

"You're a knight?"

Jas shook his head.

"I'm no Jedi," he said quickly, "Just an independent trader trying to make his way in the universe."

Val snorted at that, her lip curled into a sneer.

She stepped over to the body lying in the alley, the one who had led the thugs. She leaned down and got a better look at him.

She chuckled.

"Looks like Lord Rudo won't be reporting back to his superiors," she said with a smirk.

"How sad."

Jas tried not to blink.

A lord, he thought.

I killed a lord?!

He could just imagine the look on Coop's face, and it was not pleasant.

When the government people came in the morning he did not think that a dead Bantoon noble being found in an alley would go over well for the spacers here.

_This is what happens when you get involved_, his conscience chided.

_Now you have brought down nothing but trouble down on your head._

_Hope you're satisfied._

If Val was worried she did not appear to be, she quickly went through the dead man's pockets, she picked up his blaster, and took his identification, she even helped herself to his rings and some device around his wrist.

Jas watched this with distaste.

"You are robbing him?"

Val shrugged.

"I'm pretending to," she replied, "When the body is found in the morning I want this to look like Rudo was slumming with the off-worlders and paid the price for it."

She actually smiled when she looked at Jas.

"You did us a favor, Jedi. He's been chasing us for almost two weeks now. You saved me the trouble of crossing him off myself."

"So pleased to be of service, but as I said, I'm no Jedi."

"Good," Val said standing up and dusting herself off.

"Then you can go about your business, no Jedi. We don't need your help anymore."

"Val," the girl said.

"We don't need outsiders," she said quickly.

Vess pouted, but said no more.

Val did not look at Jas and she said nothing more. Clearly she considered the matter closed.

Jas was not so sure.

He looked down at the blasters that he had cut with his blade. Someone might put one and one together when they saw that, realized that this wasn't a simple robbery.

He would need to dispose of them, make sure they weren't found.

"What do we do now, chief," Alric asked Val, Jas was fairly sure now that the woman was the boy's superior, not just a bodyguard.

Back away, his conscience chided, you have already done enough.

Don't get more mixed up in this you already have.

"We need to go to another safe house," Val said, "Once we've insured Vess' safety, I will find us another ship. Our travel pass should still be good."

That got Jas' attention.

Travel pass?

"Do we know who to trust?" Alric asked his leader.

"I'll find a local captain," she said, "The nobles couldn't have bought **all **of them. We can…"

"You have a travel pass?" Jas said loud enough for her to hear.

Val turned giving him a dirty look.

"This is none of your concern, "Not a Jedi."

"Maybe," he admitted, "But I have a ship, and a crew in need of a travel pass."

Jas looked down at the dead lord.

"Considering what has happened, I think I should be off world as soon as possible."

He gave the three his most innocent smile.

"Maybe we can help each other."

Val glared at him, but the injured boy Alric did not seem so dismissive. The little girl looked eagerly at Jas, shooting glances back and forth between him and her protector.

Char Valenthyne winced. The woman was not stupid.

She likely understood what was at stake here.

"You have a ship?"

"I'm an independent trader," Jas said dryly.

"Can't be one without a ship."

Val sighed heavily, she clearly did not like this, nor did Jas blame her.

It was a bad situation, made even worse by the dead noble in the alley behind them, which was also his fault.

It looked bad for both of them, maybe him; more than her, but it was a problem.

She understood that.

"Okay," she said.

"Tell me more."

IOI

"You did _**what?!"**_

Jas winced, he would rather have had this conversation with Coop privately, in the captain's quarters aboard ship, but that wasn't really an option.

They needed to get moving. The morning would be coming soon.

Time was of the essence.

They were sitting at a table in the back of the cantina. The other spacers covered up most of the noise, and those that didn't minded their own business. Jas sat next to Val while Coop and the rest of the officers of their ship sat across from them.

Jas did not really like that, his decision to help Val and her charges was not really his to make, but the chance to get a travel pass, to be gone before the local constables got a good look at their cargo.

Wasn't that worth the risk?

Wasn't that what a smart smuggler would do?"

"We need transit to the Affon system," Val said to Coop, "Another ship is awaiting our arrival. You agree to drop us off, we shall give you our travel pass, and you can be on your way."

Jas smiled at his clan brother.

"It is not a bad deal, Coop," he said.

"You should, at the very least, consider it."

Gabe Cooper shook his head. Despite being only nineteen, he already had a bit of gray at his temples, the effect of dealing with command decisions in the last year. His short goatee making him look older still.

He shot Jas a sad look; they had both agreed long ago not to play white knights. It was bad for business.

Now, Jas had dropped a heap of trouble right on their door step.

In short, the young captain wasn't pleased.

"Did you _**have**_ to kill a noble?" he asked his friend.

Jas winced.

"It wasn't intentional," he repeated.

"Couldn't you have done something else? Disarmed him or something?"

Jas gave his old friend a sheepish look.

He really had had no choice.

"The guy was too close for anything else."

His friend snorted and took a deep pull of ale from his mug. He didn't say anything else, which Jas took for a good sign.

Coop likely understood, but he was still not happy about it. Jas had put them in bad position, a weak position.

Coop hated making decisions from such a weak position.

"It was self-defense, right?"

Jas nodded, the question had come from their comm-officer; Tessa Calican was a curly blonde haired girl from the Corellian system. She had grown up within the organization, both her parents having been with Tyntas since it started.

She was usually the voice of reason on the crew, and she was not afraid to call someone on a boneheaded move.

Jas thought her on his side in this.

It would help make things easier.

"It was self-defense," Jas assured her, "He drew on me."

She looked at Val who nodded.

Tessa smiled at Jas.

"Sounds like you had no choice."

He nodded.

Maybe he had not, but that was the problem.

Had he only not gotten involved…?

Well, too late now…, he realized.

…Far too late.

"If someone is dead, we can't stay here," Shusk cheeped nervously, wiping the juri juice from his whiskers. The Chadra-Fan was the ship's chief engineer and an absolute wizard when it came to fixing up and repurposing damaged tech.

He also had several warrants out for him within Republic space. Not all of the technology he had fixed up and sold over the years had been his.

It is why the Tyntas group had taken him in, protected him.

His skills were too good to let rot away on some prison moon.

Shusk was too valuable.

The little bat-like alien looked at Coop.

"We need to get out of here, Captain, now."

"Burr is going to have a fit," their navigation officer whistled, his name was Figrin, or Figgy for short; he was a Bith and had a knack for calculating hyperspace jumps on the fly. The alien's huge head did count for something after all.

He was also a bit of a gambler, and that had become a problem in the past. Several sure-thing bets had come up bad for him, and Coop had taken a chance and paid off his debts. It had earned them a skill nav-officer, but trouble still tended to follow the alien around.

Jas was not really fond of that.

"Burr is the muscle on this crew," Jas reminded him, "Not the captain."

He looked at his friend.

"We can't afford to be timid here.

Burr was a human, and as Figgy had said, the muscle of their crew. He was a skilled marksman and knew his way around explosives as well.

He was also a bit more mercenary than Jas typically liked. He claimed he would do anything if the price was right, anything.

Jas did not like that.

Val had looked at the two aliens, not really sure what to make of them. Bantoon was a human world, and given their feelings towards outsiders not many aliens were allowed out in the city proper.

Jas assured her they would not be a problem, but as it turned out he did not really need to.

Shusk and Figgy were likely on board.

It was Coop that needed to be convinced.

"If you prefer not to help us, that is fine," Val said, "I'm sure that I can find another captain to aid us."

For a moment Jas had thought that Coop would let it end like that, that he would send the girl on her way without further thought, and that he would take his chance with the local security forces when they arrived in the morning.

Fortunately, that was not the case.

Coop smiled.

He still knew a good deal when he heard one.

"Not so fast, miss," he said quickly, "I never said that I wouldn't help you, and, as my first officer said, we do need a travel pass."

He flashed his most roguish smile, the smile that Randa loved so much.

Val did not seem interested, she merely glared at him.

Coop chuckled.

"I'm willing to do business if you are," he said, "Provided you don't mind travelling on a working freighter."

"Just get us off world, and the pass is yours," Val promised, "We may even be able to throw in some extra credits for your trouble.

Coop's smile widened.

"And that, dear miss," he said warmly, "Is the magic words."

He offered her his hand.

"You have yourself a ship."

She glanced at Jas who nodded slightly.

Coop might sound mercenary, but Jas knew that there was a good man in there too...somewhere.

He made a deal he kept it.

It was not only the right thing to do, but it was the smart thing to do.

Honesty was good for business.

"Bring your party to docking bay three," he informed her, "We will be able to get underway as soon as you're aboard."

Val nodded and took Coop's hand. He seemed pleased with her choice, but that pleasure faded quickly.

Coop winced; Jas felt his discomfort through the Force.

Val was smiling, her fingers tight around Coop's hand, squeezing it…

…or crushing it.

"We have a deal," she said coldly, leaning in.

"Do not even think of betraying us."

Despite the pain, Coop chuckled.

"You don't have to worry about that," he promised, "A deal is a deal."

She nodded and let go. She rose and went to fetch Alric and Vess.

"See you in the docking bay,"

She turned without a word.

Coop looked down at his hand shaking it slightly. Tessa, Figgy, and Shusk, all looked at Jas who merely shrugged.

Val was someone who did not like to be messed with.

They would need to be careful.

"You okay, Captain," the Chandra-fan asked.

"Fine," he said moving his fingers, making sure they weren't broken.

He gave Jas an acidic smile.

"You have an interesting taste in women their Jas."

Jas looked away, that wasn't the reason he had done this.

Coop chuckled, enjoying his discomfort.

"Charming girl," he said.

Yeah, Jas thought.

She is.


	11. Folly

**Chapter 11: Folly**

The blast doors to docking bay 3 irised open.

Jas stood beside their guests as steam hissed from the sliding doors. The little girl, Vess had not left his side since they emerged from the cantina. She stayed close to him, and had since he had come to her aid. Val stood close by and kept watch, it might have been his imagination, but it seemed to Jas that Val was not overly pleased with the fact that the girl was staying so close to him.

He didn't blame her. He wasn't sure what problem the woman had against Force users and Jedi, but in the end, it did not matter, did it?

He sighed.

_I'm no Jedi._

The boy Alric brought up the rear, watching over both of the ladies. Jas had realized that he had made an error, he took Alric for a boy, but he was older than he appeared. He was actually closer in age to Jas and Cooper.

He also appeared to be a subordinate of Val. He had called the woman chief several times, and each time she had glared when he had done it around Jas and the rest of the crew.

The look on Alric's face when she did glare at him suggested that she was his superior, and superior that wasn't too happy with her younger charge.

Despite this, the two continued to keep a low profile, Val was dressed like and off worlder, and the boy could have been mistaken for a student, like Vess. Char Valenthyne did not want people knowing she is someone official, and yes, Jas was fairly sure now that she was someone official, the ease at which she gave orders suggested that she was a person who was used to being obeyed. Jas Dar Bynn had marked her as a mere bodyguard, but it seemed that it was more than that.

Not that it mattered; they had provided the crew with a travel pass, which meant their ship could now leave.

It was good for business and that is what mattered.

They had a delivery to make.

It was best that they get to it.

Coop smiled proudly as their ship came into view, the rest of their crew at his side. He had been wanting to take her out for a long time, and hoped that this run would be the first in many more for the Tyntas group. The ship was his pride and joy, Randa's too, but that was to be expected.

She and Coop had been working towards this for years. Even during their days in the clan he had been sending her credits or salvage, anything to get the ship up and running.

It had been the work of almost a decade, but now it was finished.

Their ship had taken to the stars.

It was a P-26 freighter registered to the Tyntas trading group and owned and operating by Cooper and Halcyon holdings, in other words, owned by Randa and Coop.

It was a sight to say the least.

It resembled, in Jas' eyes, like a giant clothes iron, boxy with a rounded downward sloping triangular nose cone. The main body was mostly cargo space, with the crew quarters centered over the nose cone. The command tower rose up like a handle, its rounded bridge screen giving the crew almost a full three hundred and sixty degree view of what was around them. Its scarred hull was painted orange with brown high lights.

The docking bay seemed to vibrate when they entered. Even from here you could feel the ship's repulsor lifts humming, warming up in preparation to leave. Coop had sent word ahead to Burr, who had made sure that everything was ready when the crew arrived.

Jas glanced over at Val, Alric, and Vess, he was curious about what their first take on the vessel would be. He knew how he had felt the first time he had seen the thing. To say that his response had been less than favorable would have been an understatement.

Val shook her head.

"Are you kidding," she said looking at Coop, "You came here in that…thing."

The young woman shook her head.

"What a piece of junk!"

Jas chuckled. He sensed the amusement of the others. The rest of the crew was covering up their respective mouths, likely hiding their own laughter.

Coop sniffed.

"I admit, she is no Ebon Hawk, but she doesn't have to be."

He grinned proudly.

"She gets me where the credits are, and she is all mine."

"She does look like a scrap pile," Tessa said.

"Hey," Coop said looking offended.

"But that is all part of her charm," Shusk said.

"No one would believe that this ship can fly," Figrin added, "much less make her runs in record time."

"HEEEEY!"

Coop glared at the Bith.

"Whose side are you on?" he demanded.

"**Our** side," the alien said, "We know what the ship is, but we also know that looks can be deceiving."

"She may not look like much," Tessa added, "But that is the whole point."

"Yeah," Shusk chimed in.

"Why else did you choose to call it the Coop's Folly?"

IOI

The Coop's Folly had an interesting history, or rather the class of vessel that it represented did.

It should have been something great, but the galaxy had intervened; now it was almost nothing.

The perfect transport for a crew of independent spacers.

The ship was 82 meters long and 54 meters wide. It was technically classified as a light freighter, but it could be modified to carry twice the amount of cargo that a tradition ship that its size could handle. Like other P-26 class vessels it was designed with versatility in mind. Hoersch Space systems had been looking to take over the Intergalactic trading game with this type of vessel. The modular design of the ship wasn't pretty, but it was adaptable.

Sadly, it never came to pass.

Kuat Drive Yards had purchased the production house that was building the P-26, and they promptly discontinued its use. KDY had its own ideas about freighter construction and had not intended to see those ideas questions. Parts and services for the ships quickly became hard to come by, hard to come by, and extremely expensive. The few thousand freighters that had been produced were either scrapped, or sold off to rim worlds that did not know how hard it would be to acquire parts for their new acquisitions.

Randa had found this one rusting in a scrap yard on Ord Mantel. Her father had purchased it, likely thinking of selling off the parts that still functioned. He kept the frame, and would have eventually sold it off to be melted down. He would have done it, but then his daughter had convinced him to hold onto it. Despite what had happened with KDY, the ship's hull and frame were sturdy, and could take a beating, the problem had been the internals, and Randa saw that as a challenge. She wanted the ship; to work on it, to both prove and improve her own mechanic skills. Of course, that was only part of it.

She and Coop had always wanted their own ship. They had talked about it.

Now, they had a chance to have it.

Her father had humored her; maybe he thought she was dreaming; that she would never get it space worthy. She was determined to prove him wrong.

She wanted a ship of her own.

She was determined to have it.

When she went out on her own, her father let her keep it; she had paid him a lot for it with her credits, sweat, and blood. She had worked for years to ensure that the frame was maintained and used her pay as a mechanic, and the credits sent by Coop, to buy new parts for it, constantly upgrading and replacing its systems.

It had finally been ready to fly two weeks ago, and would do so under Coop's command.

Jas was no mechanic; he did not know all the details, but what he did know was that Randa had completely gutted and replaced most of the ships systems. While he and Coop had been serving Clan Nuna, she had been busy building her dream vessel. Randa's version of the P-26 now used easy to acquire Kuat, and other fleet systems parts, while barely changing the ship's original profile. She had also modified the engines on the bulky transport, giving it both speed and maneuverability, without sacrificing its modular design, not that she had access to any of the other modules, but it was still possible if the need arose, it was enough to sell her work to Tyntas, to prove its viability.

Having your own ship in an organization like Tyntas put you on the fast track to advancement, both Coop and Randa had known this, and now here they were. Randa now had command of her own hangar back on Ord Mantel. She would handle repairs and upgrades, while Coop and his crew brought in the credits. It was a simple arrangement, simple and profitable.

There was just one problem.

There first job had seen that trapped on Bantoon.

IOI

"I wanted to call her the Fortune," Coop informed their guests, "Unfortunately the name never took."

He sighed.

"Call it a folly if you like, but don't doubt that she has it where it counts."

He gave Val a winning smile.

"The Folly will take you where you need to go, trust me."

Val sniffed.

She remained unimpressed.

"That remains to be seen, Captain," she said.

Coop did not take offense.

It was as Figgy and Tess had said.

The Folly was meant to be underestimated.

"Does it really fly thru space?" Vess asked; the little girl stared at the ship with a sense of wonder.

"It does," Jas answered.

He smiled down at the girl.

"It will get you where you need to go."

She blushed and looked away.

Jas could not say why.

He had merely answered a question.

It was at that moment that loading ramp lowered, Burr emerged from the ship, wiping his hands with a rag.

"Everything is loaded and ready to go, Cap'n," he said, "As soon as we load Bee Ten we can be.

He paused when he saw Val and her party.

"What is this now?" he asked, "We taking on passengers?"

"Yeah Burr," Coop answered, "These good people have allowed us to use their travel pass, provided we take them where they need to go."

"Hm," Burr looked at the three, his hard eye blue eyes settling on Val.

She did not quail or look away. She met his gaze and did not back down.

Burr sneered.

"Locals," he spat shaking his head.

"Great."

Jas frowned.

Considering what Val and her party were offering.

…Burr could at least try to sound grateful.

Tyntas had found the guy working as an enforcer on Nar Shadda. Burr was a small wiry man with a bald head and a nasty scar running from his left cheek down to his throat.

He was one of the few people in the group that Jas did not particularly care for.

Burr had some military training; that was obvious. Jas had seen him fight several times, both with his bare hands and with a blaster. He definitely fought like a trained soldier. The enforcer had spoken a few times about serving in the Republic military, but had struck out on his own after he realized that it was far more profitable working freelance.

Both Jas and Coop had come to think him a deserter, or maybe a dishonorable discharge. Burr did not strike him as the type to stick around and finish his tour, not when he smelled profit elsewhere.

He was useful, none would doubt that, but neither Cooper nor Jas trusted him fully.

They kept a close eye on the enforcer, just in case he tried to make a better deal for himself with someone else. The two had been stabbed in the back by Targo.

They would not give anyone else a chance to do so again.

As the group approached the ship, one of the large metal crates next to the ramp began to unfold itself. Steam hissed between the joints as long metal arms emerged and helped push itself up onto stocky metal legs.

Jas sensed the little girl's fear and shock.

"VAL!" she shrieked and dove behind Jas.

The woman's blaster came out, as Alric leapt to her side, his own blaster raised and ready.

"DON'T," Coop shouted pushing Val's blaster down, spoiling her shot.

She glared at the Captain; betrayal and anger flashing in her eyes.

"What're you…?"

"You're safe," he shot back hotly; "He won't hurt you."

Jas sighed.

He probably should have warned them.

"He won't harm you," Jas added, his eye focused on Vess, feeling a bit ashamed for scaring her.

"He is part of our crew."

It was then that the droid finished emerging from his rest mode. At full height he towered over the group, with shoulders as wide as a land speeder. The small round head turned to the crew, two yellow, large, and round optics focused on the organics standing before it. The lines and plain features on its face gave the droid an almost sad look.

"Nice one you over grown scrap pile," Burr chided, though he sounded more amused than angry,

He had liked seeing Val startled.

"You spooked the locals."

The droid made a sound; some would have mistaken it for a sigh.

It shook its head.

"I'm going to get shot now aren't I?" it said morosely, "I should have guessed. I've only just spent the entire afternoon loading all this cargo, and do I get a word of thanks, an oil bath? No. I get to be threatened by a blaster."

The droid shook his head.

"Typical."

The sorrow in his voice shocked the new arrivals; Jas had been similarly affected when he had first met the droid, now he knew better.

You could have given the droid everything it desired and it would **still **complain about its lot in life.

That was just the way it was.

That was the way he had been programmed.

"Miss Valenthyne," Coop said, "Allow me to introduce B1-0N, or Beaten as we like to call him."

"Because I've been beaten down by this cold heartless galaxy," the droid complained, "No one cares what the load lifter droid thinks."

It shook its head again.

"As I said, typical."

Tess coughed.

Coop glared at it.

"You must excuse, Beaten," he told his guests, "Bee One series load lifter droids only have two emotional settings, cheery or depressed, a quirk in their programming package."

The Captain shook his head.

"We're still trying to figure out how to set this one to cheery, still he carries out his orders without question."

"Of course, Captain Cooper," Beaten said, "Lift this, store that, unload the bay, reload the bay, over and over and over."

Beaten made that sighing sound again.

"My existence is so exciting."

Jas had to fight the urge to laugh.

What did the droid expect; he was a load lifter droid.

Lifting and carrying things was its job.

Vess emerged from behind Jas, she seemed ashamed that she had hidden from droid; she stepped forward despite the angry look Val was giving her.

As Jas had noticed earlier, she was a brave little girl.

"Thank you for completing your work, Beaten," she said, "I'm sorry I screamed when I saw you. You…surprised me."

The droids optics focused on the little girl.

"Your thanks are unnecessary little mistress," he said, "They are also likely insincere, but…it is good to hear them anyway."

Vess smiled and curtseyed to the droid.

Val finally guided her back into the group.

"Now if you are quite done complaining you hunk of junk, how about you get onboard," Burr ordered.

"We're leaving."

Beaten looked at Cooper, he was the captain after all.

Coop nodded.

The large droid turned and ambled slowly up the ramp.

"Back on the ship again," it said morosely, another few hours folded up in standby mode. Wonderful."

Val shot Cooper a curious look.

"Why does it act like that?"

Coop shrugged.

"As I said, it is a quirk in their programming,"

"Could you not get it fixed?"

"We could probably get his memory wiped, but that might do more harm than good."

"Despite his depression, Beaten is actually really good at his job," Tessa said.

"He is also stable," Shusk added, "In the past, some of this model have gone…rogue. The cheery acting ones have known to be dangerous; destroying things in manic celebration."

Val gave them a disgusted look.

"You off worlders and your machines," she spat, "Why would you risk having something like this around?"

"Because we got him on the cheap," Burr answered, "We're not exactly rolling in credits, you know."

Char Valenthyne sighed and shook her head.

Jas sensed her displeasure.

She was clearly starting to have second thoughts about this arrangement.

Coop pretended not to notice, as usual.

He smiled at clasped his hands.

"Well then, everyone," he said, "All aboard."

Grudgingly, Val took Vess by the hand and led her up the ramp, with Alric in tow. Coop already starting issuing orders, getting the crew to their stations. Tessa and Figgy made for the stairs to take them up to the bridge. Shusk climbed the ladder leading to the engine room. Burr went with their guests to show them to their quarters. The ship had accommodations to fit a crew of twenty, so there was more than enough space for their three passengers.

Coop stopped Jas before he could head for his station, his old friend and captain pulling him aside.

"So," he asked, "What do you think, old buddy."

"I think we are getting out of here," Jas replied, "Provided that the travel pass that Miss Val gave us is good."

"I know that Jas," Coop said, "I wanted to know what you thought about this, how it…felt."

Jas frowned.

Coop had long ago learned to trust his friend's feelings, it had served them well on several occasions, but it was not something that Jas could just turn on and off and he was not always sure what the disturbances meant.

The Force was complicated, and it did not give up all its secrets to Jas Dar Bynn.

He sighed.

"There is something going on here, Coop. I don't know what it is, but it is there."

He shook his head.

He could have mentioned that what was happening seemed to be focused around Vess, but he didn't think it wise. Coop kept no secrets from his crew, and he didn't want that poor girl dragged into the situation if things went sideways.

No, he wouldn't do that to her.

"He gave his friend a serious look.

"I think we need to get these people where they're going, and go about our business."

The young Captain nodded and smiled.

"That is exactly what we are about to do, buddy." He said leading his friend towards the bridge.

"Let's get this old bird moving."

IOI

At first, Bantoon traffic control had been hesitant to let the Coop's Folly leave. Two operators spoke to Tessa over the comm system, and Coop himself had to get involved.

All agreed that the pass the ship had was accepted, but the locals seemed slow to give clearance to leave.

Jas wasn't pleased to hear that. The longer they were here, the longer someone in traffic control had the chance to pass along that the ship was leaving, possibly to people who were looking for those seeking to leave the planet.

Jas found his eyes going over the Folly's weapon's systems. The freighter was no war ship, but like most smuggling vessels, it did have teeth if needed. Two duel firing lasers mounted on both sides of the hull, and two quad heavy turrets mounted on both the top and belly of the ship. Not enough to fight off a Republic warship, but more than enough to make someone think twice about trying to board.

Jas ran a quick system's check of their weapons, just in case.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the clearance for them to leave was granted. Coop wasted no time in getting the Folly off the ground. Tessa monitored communications, trying to pick up any local chatter, just in case things started to turn ugly.

Surprisingly, things remained quiet; the Coop's Folly fired its sub-lights and pushed through the atmosphere of Bantoon.

Soon they were back in the cold comforting shelter of the void, heading for their jump window.

Jas breathed a sigh of relief, so far so good.

It was at that moment that things went wrong.

The scanners blared a warning, four small attack ships had just emerged from behind the nearest moon, emerged and moved in on an intercept vector.

They were heading straight for the Folly.

Coop did not panic when he saw them, though he did raise their shields. He also ordered Jas to heat up the weapons, just in case.

"Hail those ships, Tess," he ordered.

"Let's see what is on their minds."

The comm system buzzed; audio only.

Coop did not like transmitting his face over the holonet; it was not good for business.

"Unidentified ship, this Major Muro of the Bantoon Matriarchy, you will cut your engines, lower your shields, and prepare to be boarded."

Coop chuckled.

So much for diplomacy, he said looking at Jas."

Jas shrugged.

From what he was feeling, he doubted this would end diplomatically.

"Major Muro, this is the Coop's Folly out of Ord Mantel, may I ask what the problem is, we had the proper clearance to leave, and our manifest and flight plan was submitted to traffic control."

Yeah, Jas thought, our fake manifest.

Though he doubted this about smuggling, the ships approaching looked like military vessels, not the type used by law enforcement.

There was another pause, perhaps the Major was digesting what he had been told.

"You will cut your engines, lower your shields, and prepare to be boarded," he repeated, "This is your final warning."

Coop shrugged.

"Major, with all due respect, we will be in hyperspace before you enter weapon's range, which does not really give me much incentive to stop."

Coop's eyes narrowed, he let a bit of anger seep into his voice.

"I say again, why are you trying to stop us?"

Another pause, this encounter was likely not going as the Major had expected. The man was likely used to being obeyed.

"You are believed to be carrying dangerous fugitives. If you turn them over to us you will be well rewarded, refuse and you will be severely punished."

Coop's smile brightened.

"No lies," he said dryly, "No…claiming this is a simple cargo inspection, no faked health check."

Coop shook his head.

"You're very bad at this game, Major. May I suggest you find a new line of work?"

The Major did not respond with words.

Lasers flashed as they barely kissed the Folly's shields, Coop put on a bit more speed, but it was not really needed. As he had warned the major, they were almost to their escape window.

He pulled back on the hyperspace handle.

The stars stretched as the Coop's Folly leapt forward and into hyperspace.

Coop did not take his hands off the controls until he was absolutely sure they were away.

Then…he sighed and turned to his old friend.

"Come on Jas," he said rising from the helm.

"Let's have a few words with our dangerous fugitives."


	12. A Plan

**Chapter 12: A Plan**

_VMMM!_

_VMMM!_

_VMMM!_

Violet light danced as Jas Dar Bynn went through his saber drills. His weapon spun and whirled like it was an extension of his arm, a part of his very being.

He stood in the center of Folly's cargo bay, his saber hummed and buzzed with each strike and parry.

He moved without thinking, letting his emotions guide him. At this point in his life, these drills were second nature to him. He had first learned them at the tender age of five, when the temple sword master had first put a training saber in his hand.

Despite being away from the order for almost a decade, he still remembered that day; it was his first real memory, the earliest thing he could remember about being at the temple.

_VMMM!_

_VMMM!_

_VMMM!_

He may have forgotten that life, if not for the combat training he had endured as a member of Clan Nuna. Their ways were _**not**_ the Jedi way, but that did not mean that they were without value. The Mandalorians had fought two wars against the Jedi, and had learned much about their fighting styles. Clan Nuna's sword master had passed what they had learned onto him. Those lessons were far more aggressive than the ones a Jedi would have learned, but that did not take away from what they offered.

Clan Nuna had expanded on what he had learned in the temple; gave him a chance to explore further. The stances, forms, and discipline they taught were no less valuable than what one could learn from a Jedi Master.

_Different __**was**__ different, but that did not make it bad or wrong._

He had come to embrace that ideal.

Jas may not have been a Jedi, but that did not mean that he had not grown, that he had not expanded his knowledge of the Force.

Some Jedi Masters might have called such learning a mistake, that by exploring those mysteries himself he was inviting the dark side in, and that he was destined to make a mistake and fail.

Though he remained concerned about the darkness, he did not let it paralyze him. He had felt its power in the skies over Kuat, and he had resisted.

There was nothing wrong with being careful, and if it helped you minimize the consequences of a mistake, so much the better.

_The Force is part of me_, Jas thought, _I can't simply forget that._

_I have a place within the Force, as all things do. Now all I have to do is figure out what that place is..._

The thought made him smile.

…_Finding that purpose would be easier said than done._

As he trained his thoughts drifted back to when he and Coop had confronted Char Valenthyne. They had found the woman in the ship's galley, likely trying to find something to eat for herself and her young companions.

Jas informed her that they had a box of instant meals in the far right cupboard. The food was a bit bland, but it was both filling and safe for human consumption.

Val hesitated at first, but finally accepted him at his word, offering a murmured thanks.

Before she could retreat back to the guest quarters however, Coop stopped her. He had questions; questions that he felt deserved answering.

The young woman shrugged, and sat down; she put her feet up on the nearest bench and said she would do her best to answer.

Neither Jas nor Coop was fooled by her act.

She may have looked relaxed, but they had been around enough warriors to recognize tension of the body. Though she had surrendered her gun belt when she had come aboard, Jas did not doubt for a second that she was still armed. She still wore her jacket, which could have easily hid a holdout blaster, or vibroblade.

Plus, she was too relaxed, if she felt threatened, she also knew she had a way out of it.

Jas kept his guard up.

Coop pulled up a chair and sat down across from her, he was not angry with what happened, merely curious.

They had clearly blundered into something that they shouldn't have.

"Your country men fired on us as we were leaving orbit," Coop informed her, "May I ask why?"

Val shrugged; she seemed neither surprised nor concerned.

"Things are a bit tense on my homeworld right now, but since we made it safely away I'm guessing that you had no problem evading our security forces."

"We have a bit of talent in that arena," Coop informed her.

"I'll bet," she said with a sly smile, "I figured as much by your cargo."

She snorted with amusement.

"I wasn't aware our gene-mod packs were available to trade off world. I'm guessing you look to make a pretty credit off all the ones stored in your hold."

Coop's eyes narrowed.

"Are you calling me a smuggler, Miss Valenthyne?"

She shrugged again.

"Yeah, I am."

If Cooper was insulted, he did not show it, a merry grin spread across his face.

"Good," he said, "Because I **am** a smuggler, and a damn good one too."

"Thought so," Val said, "And yet you still helped us, given the reputation that most smugglers enjoy…"

"I'm not like most smugglers," Coop replied, "Spice, slaves, weapons, I don't touch such things, there are plenty of credits to be made beating Republic tariffs, and besides."

His smile widened.

"You would be surprised how having some morals and standards will go when dealing with certain people. If they know you have a code, they are often more willing to trust you with more…delicate matters."

"And do you have a code?" she asked.

"I try to stay true to one. I don't betray a client, and I don't harm people under my protection, which you and those two kids now qualify as."

"Lucky us," Val smirked.

Coop's smile turned cold.

"That being said, I don't like it when people put my ship and crew at risk needlessly. Your security forces seemed to think that I had fugitives on board. Would you like to explain that?"

Val pursed her lips.

Jas wondered what she was thinking. Coop was not a cruel man; Jas would never have taken him as a friend if he was. Yet, the concern for their ship and shipmates was valid. They knew nothing of Valenthyne or of the two young people travelling with her.

Jas hoped that the woman would have some answers.

"We're not criminals if that is what you are asking," she sighed, "I can't go into the full details, both for my safety and the safety of Vess and Alric, but I will say that everything will be explained when we arrive in the Affon system. My mistress will explain everything and reward you for seeing me and my young friends to safety."

Val smiled again.

"I've already helped you get off Bantoon, keep to this course and you will be able to make a little more money on the side. Surely a damn good smuggler such as yourself would be able to appreciate such an offer."

Coop nodded thoughtfully. Technically any payment made to the group outside of the job was theirs. Tyntas would get it's agreed upon cut of the cargo, but anything made on the side was fair game.

Yes, technically, Miss Valenthyne was offering them a bribe, but it was not like she was asking them to go any further than they already had.

They were due to pass through the Affon system anyway, why not profit from making a small stop along the way?

Jas did not need to explain such facts to Coop; he was too good a spacer not to see opportunity when it knocked.

Finally, he nodded.

"I look forward to that explanation," he said, "In the meantime, enjoy your time aboard my ship. It may not be the most cozy of vessels, but it will get you where you need to go."

"You have my thanks, Captain Cooper, and to you Mister Cooper," she said nodding to Jas, "I'm sure you will understand why I needed to be so careful of what I said; as soon as we reach our destination of course."

"I look forward to finding out just what that is," Coop said, "In the meantime, give my regard to those two kids, and enjoy your meals, Miss Valenthyne."

She rose from her chair without another word, leaving the two men alone in the galley.

Coop sighed and shook his head.

"What do you think? He asked Jas.

"Can we trust her?"

"She wasn't lying to us," Jas informed him, "When I look at her, all I sense is the desire to protect those kids."

Coop nodded thoughtfully, all the while drumming his fingers on the galley's dinner table.

"So what do you think? I'm guessing she is not a kidnapper or slaver."

"It is nothing like that," Jas said with a frown, "Whoever she is those kids aren't afraid of her. I sense that the boy is a bit intimidated, but that is likely because she is his superior."

"You think our dear Miss Valenthyne might be military?"

"She doesn't carry herself like a typical bodyguard, and I don't sense the greed that would be a part of a mercenary simply out for the quick pay day."

Coop considered what he said, as he normally did.

"What about the little one?"

"Vess?"

"Yeah, I think that is her name, what do you think?"

Again Jas Dar Bynn shrugged.

Jas frowned not sure what Coop was asking.

He remembered what he had felt in that alley. The girl was not Force Sensitive, but it did swirl around her, marking her as someone of value, someone worth protecting.

It had been enough to get involved, despite everything he knew to the contrary.

"She is strong that one. She was scared of those men threatening her, but **defiant **as well."

He smiled.

"Had I not been there, she probably would have fought to protect the boy. She would have lost, but I think she would have gotten at least a few good shots in."

Coop chuckled.

"Sounds like the kinda girl that Mom would have liked."

Jas' smile turned sad.

Yes, he thought.

Mother Nuna would have liked Vess.

Jas sighed.

"As long as we don't threaten the girl or the boy, I think we can trust Miss Valenthyne to play straight with us. She's dedicated to them that much is clear, and besides…she is too much of straight arrow to try anything cute."

Coop smirked at his friend's opinion of their guests.

"I think we may have just found you a girlfriend, old buddy," he said.

"What?" Jas said, blushing slightly.

"Straight arrow, committed to something more than herself, sounds like a girl after your own heart."

Jas snorted and looked away.

Char Valenthyne was attractive, he did not deny that, but she was also completely committed to her goal, that being to protect Vess and Alric.

Jas knew what that kind of commitment was like.

He would not presume to try and get in the way of it.

Having tortured his friend and clan brother enough, Coop returned to the business at hand.

'Despite your feelings, we still need to keep an eye on Miss Val, the kids too for that matter, at least until they're off my ship."

"It won't be too much longer," Jas said, "We will reach the Affon system in two hours, or Shusk claims."

"Okay then," Coop said heading back to the bridge.

"Just remember it was **your** idea to bring these people onboard."

Jas winced.

"It got us off planet didn't it?"

"Yeah, but we may have stumbled into something worse than a smuggler's charge. Someone important wanted those kids, and now that we have them, those people may not take so kindly to us interfering."

Coop sighed.

"Just keep an eye on our guests, Jas. Make sure they don't get us into any more trouble."

"Yeah," Jas sighed, it had been his call to involve his crew in this, and his responsibility if things went bad.

His responsibility.

"I'll watch them," he promised his friend and captain.

"Things won't get out of hand."

IOI

A small chime built into Jas' comlink sounded, loud enough to be heard over the hum and buzz of his lightsaber.

Twenty minutes had passed, signaling the end of his saber drills.

He sighed and lowered his weapon; he took a moment to simply bask in the power of the light. He could feel it flowing thought him, his calm and commitment allowing him to go deep into light, and feel its warm touch. His senses and emotions were razor sharp; as they always were after he submerged himself fully in the Living Force.

He smiled slightly.

It was in that moment that he realized that he was not alone, that he had not been alone for some time.

"You don't have to be afraid, little one," he said deactivating his lightsaber.

"As I said before, I won't hurt you."

The little girl, Vess, emerged from where she was hiding. She had all but disappeared behind one of their secured cargo containers. She approached him; her blue eyes wide with wonder, Jas could sense that she was still not quite sure what she had just seen.

When he was deep in the Force, his movements often became a blur to those not used to seeing a Force Sensitive in motion.

He could sense her awe, and a bit of fear.

The former was understandable, the latter unnecessary.

"I'm sorry," she said in a tiny voice.

"I hope I didn't disturb you, sir."

Jas laughed.

"I will just finishing up," he said sliding his weapon back up his sleeve, "It is almost time for me to begin my shift on the bridge."

He gave her a concerned look.

"You should try and get some rest. It seems like you had a bit of a time of it before we met."

The little girl nodded, though she still stayed close to the shadows.

"I…I didn't get a chance to thank you, before," the look in her eyes were of pure innocence, innocence and gratitude.

"You saved me, me and Alric both; we are in your debt."

"I couldn't just let you be dragged off," he admitted, "And besides…I don't like bullies."

The girl smiled.

"I knew you were nice, thank you."

"Your welcome," Jas said straightening out his coat.

"It was the least I could do."

The girl looked away shyly, for some reason she seemed hesitant to meet his eye, and if he was not wrong, she looked like she might be blushing.

_Why,_ he wondered.

_Did I say something wrong?_

"Val said you were a knight. We used to have knights back home, a long time ago. They were the bravest and most courageous men in the universe."

The girl smiled, while at the same time looking down at her feet.

I've…I've never met a _**real**_ knight before."

"And you haven't yet," Jas said, "I was never knighted by the Jedi Order, and I probably never will be."

"Why," she asked, "You're very brave."

Jas sighed.

He could tell her the whole story, but he doubted she would understand. The ways of the Jedi could be confusing to most people, and even he still questioned why he had been left behind by the order.

They should have found me after the accident, but they never did.

He wondered sometimes if they even tried.

He pushed such thoughts away, that bitterness could lead to anger if he was not careful, and that was one emotion that he did not want to feed.

Still he had to say something, the kid deserved that much.

"The Force set me on a different path long ago. I was separated from my fellow Jedi and left to find my own way."

He shrugged.

"They would never accept me now, too much has happened."

"Oh," the little girl said, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he said with a small smile, "My new life has given me a chance to see things that others of my order never could. I've seen many strange things in my travels, met many people."

"Like me?" the girl asked.

"Yes, Vess," he said, "Like you."

The girl's eyes brightened, her smile lit up her face.

"You…you **remembered **my name."

"Yes," he admitted, "Is that unusual?"

The girl looked away again.

"Mother always says I'm too shy and quiet for my own good; that I fade into a crowd when I should stand out."

She looked down at her feet again, shaking her head.

"I guess I'm too quiet."

"There is nothing wrong with being quiet," Jas said, "To know, someone must first know how to listen."

The girl giggled.

"Maybe you should tell my, Mom that, she might listen to someone who was almost a real knight."

Jas did not try and correct her, it was clear that the little one had made up her mind about whom and what he was.

He knew the truth, but still, it was nice to think about, at least for a while.

It would have been good to have been a knight, but as he had said the Force had other plans.

He had accepted his lot in life, long ago.

"In time," he promised her, "You will find your own place in the Force, and in that moment all your gifts and abilities will be exactly where they need to be."

"I guess so," the girl sighed, "I hope so."

She shook her head.

"Um, sir?"

"Yes?"

"Can…Can I ask you a question?"

"You just did?" he said dryly.

She looked up at him; "Wha…" the sound escaped her lips as he grinned.

She paused, thinking about what he said, and then smiled brightly.

She giggled and looked away again.

"Another one, please?"

He nodded.

She was no longer scared of him; it seemed that his willingness to talk to her had put her at ease.

"What is your question?"

"What is the Force," she asked, "You said the Force had plans for you. What is it? What plans does it make?"

Jas smiled.

In this he was on known ground.

These questions he could answer.

He sat down on one of smaller cargo containers, the girl sat across from him, her eagerness radiating out like a beacon.

"The Force exists in all living things," he began, "It is an energy field that surrounds us, penetrates us and binds the galaxy together."

He gave her an arched look.

"You have never heard of the Force before?"

She shook her head no.

"Our people have our own Gods. The beliefs of outsiders have no place among us, or so my teachers say."

She rolled her eyes.

Jas chuckled.

More and more he was starting to like this one.

"What do your people believe in?" he asked.

"We worship the gods of Sun, Stone, Wave, and Wind. The elements gave rise to our people, and allowed us to spread across Bantoon, and become united and strong."

The girl gave him a proud smile.

"We had our own sorcerers once too, they controlled the elements, lifted stone, with a wave of their hands, summoned rain when needed, controlled the winds, some could even summon fire from their hands."

Jas nodded.

"Your sorcerers were likely Force sensitive, its gifts allowed them to perform such feats."

Vess frowned.

"So my people are wrong?"

"Not wrong, merely different," Jas replied, "You know the Force by another name, what we call it is not necessarily right, it is just how the Jedi have viewed the Force for centuries."

Vess nodded.

"So we **both** are protected by the gods, your Force is part of them; they simply speak to you with a different voice."

Jas nodded.

It was an interesting way of looking at things. The girl could have called him a heretic, and looked down on him for saying that her gods were not what she knew.

She had not done that, she had adapted her way of seeing the world so quickly.

He could see now why Vess felt the way she did in the Force.

The girl was not closed off like some people.

He smiled.

She had the potential to be something great.

Jas picked up a spanner that had been left out, as Vess watched as he used the Force to lift it, and have it float above his hands.

"MAGIC!" the girl gasped.

"The Force," Jas replied, "It is merely using the energies between me and the spanner; it is the Force that lifts it up."

"And that is how it starts, young one."

Both Jas and Vess jumped, on the walkway above them stood Char Valenthyne, she was scowling down at the two.

The spanner fell to the deck with a loud clang.

Val pinned her young charge with a cold look.

"You should keep your distance from these people, Vess," she warned, "They are dangerous."

The girl gave her protector a sheepish look.

"We were just talking."

"She had questions," Jas added, "I was simply trying to offer answers."

"Do not let Vess' inexperience fool you, "Not a Jedi," Val said coldly, "My people have had experience with your kind. Three hundred years ago, Jedi invaded our world, attacked our cities, and murdered those that gods listened to, every sorcerer and knight that would not join them."

Jas winced.

What?

Jedi would never…

But then he thought about what she was saying, what had happened almost three centuries ago, what had been happening in the galaxy at that time.

"Did these invaders claim to be Jedi?" he asked her.

"They claimed to be servants of a great Jedi. They followed someone we came to know as Reevan."

Jas nodded.

He should have guessed.

"Revan," he said, "Bantoon was conquered by Darth Revan during the Jedi Civil War?"

"All we know is that invaders attacked our world," Val replied, "that was enough."

"Revan was no Jedi," Jas shot back, "He was a Sith by that point, a servant dark side."

"Whatever he was, my world suffered," Val said as she came up beside Vess, "Our world suffered."

Vess winced; she didn't want to blame Jas for happened, but…

Val was her protector.

She didn't want to seem disloyal to her either.

Jas felt sorry for the poor girl.

"Revan died a long time ago," he said, "The Sith are extinct now, your people have nothing to fear from them. Their foul Empire is gone."

"And yet the power they used remains, the same power that you wield, is that not true?"

Jas frowned; he didn't like what was being said.

The woman did not understand.

He did not use the dark side of the Force.

He knew better.

"I'm not going to betray you," he said to the woman, "I'm not Revan or one of his followers."

"You have no right to judge me."

It was at that moment that something changed in Val, a slight shift in the Force, Jas could see it on her face.

"I'm not _judging_ you," she said, "I'm **protecting** Vess."

The little girl looked up at her.

"Val…you don't have to…"

"Come Vess," she said, "Let us leave Mister Cooper to his duties."

Char Valenthyne led the girl away, but as she did; Vess looked over her shoulder; she looked at him. She was not happy with what had been said, but had no response of her own.

"Bye," she said, and then mouthed_: I'm sorry._

Jas did not go after them, he had nothing to say. He stood where he was and watched the two vanish back into the guest quarters.

He sighed and shook his head.

He did not blame the woman for being concerned. Most Jedi would question his motives.

After all; he had touched the darkness before, used it to kill an enemy, and without guidance likely would again.

Kuat had been a long time ago, but what happened on Bantoon brought it all back.

He had not meant to kill to protect Vess an Alric, but he had.

He had.

The darkness was never far from those who dealt death; it was never far from him.

It was why he could never return to the Jedi Order. Why they would **never **take him back.

He was trying to stay on the path, but the darkness was always there; sure footed and gaining.

Jas made his way to the bridge, to begin his duty shift. Duty was good. It would help him forget.

The Force has a plan for me, he thought.

All that has happened has happened for a reason.

He tried to take solace in that.

The Force had a plan.

All he had to do was find his place within it.

It was not easy, but nothing good ever was.

I will not falter, he promised himself.

I will not.


	13. Affon

**Chapter 13: Affon**

"We're approaching our destination," the Bith called out from his station, "Reversion to real space will occur in six minutes."

"Thank you, Figgy," Coop called back, "Tessa prepare to hail any vessel that might be waiting for us, let us make sure that Miss Valenthyne's friends know we are friendly. Burr, if you would be so kind; go to the back and collect our guests, we may need them up here."

"Ready, sir," Tessa said checking her instuments.

"Aye, Cap'n," the former enforcer said heading down the exit ramp.

Coop sighed and began the preparations to bring them out of hyperspace and into the Affon system. Jas could sense the tension in his movements, see it, but said nothing about it.

_Coop's in command, it was not proper to question his state of mind on the bridge, and besides._

_He was not the only one who was nervous._

As far as rendezvous went, Affon was not necessarily the best place to meet.

If someone was travelling to or from Bantoon, you needed to move through the Affon system. It was a jumping off point for three major hyperspace routes, passing through this sector was the only way to get to Bantoon, the various anomalies and gravity wells nearby made any other passage impossible.

Which meant that Affon was a bottle neck, if you were looking for someone trying to leave Bantoon, they would eventually have to pass through this system, which made it a perfect place for an ambush, Coop knew that, and so did Jas.

He just hoped that they were just being paranoid.

Hopefully this brief stopover would go off without a hitch.

"Jas?"

"Yeah, Coop."

The young captain sighed.

"I want you to bring the weapons online, and transfer all reserve power to forward shields, be prepared to raise them as soon as we leave hyperspace."

Jas acknowledged his old friend's order, but that did not mean he liked it.

"If anyone is waiting for us, Coop, going in weapons hot is not the best way to make a good impression."

"Maybe," his old friend agreed, "But it is the smart call. We have no idea who or what is waiting for our guests."

Coop gave him a cool smile.

"I'd much rather be ready for trouble than scrambling around trying to respond to it, don't you agree?"

Jas nodded as he carried out his captain's command. Their entrance into the Affon system would not be the friendliest in the galaxy, but it would be safer than going in with blinders on.

As Coop had said, they had no idea what awaited them when they emerged from hyperspace.

It was better to be safe than sorry.

It was at that moment that Burr returned with Miss Valenthyne and the boy Alric. The Bann woman looked around the bridge, perhaps evaluating it for weaknesses.

She would find few, if any; the Coop's Folly crew knew their jobs.

They were ready to meet most problems head on.

"A single ship is awaiting our arrival," she informed Coop, "When we emerge from hyperspace you will flash your running lights: three short bursts, one long one, and three more short ones, this visual signal is the "all clear" to approach."

"And if the ship _**isn't**_ there?" Coop asked.

Val glared at him.

"It _**will **_be there, just be ready."

He nodded and looked over at Jas.

"You heard the lady, get ready to flash the landing lights."

"Aye, Captain."

Jas watched as the counter continued to cycle down, he once again checked the instrument panel, making sure that the reserve power had been allocated as Coop had ordered.

_Better safe than sorry._

"Where is the kid," Coop asked Val, "Your ride is going to be waiting, yes?"

"Yeah," the woman responded, "Vess is sleeping right now; the excitement of this trip has overwhelmed her."

"You realize that you are leaving," Tess said from the comm chair.

"I'm aware of that, yes," Val said, "Leave Vess to me."

"You need not worry," Alric added, "Our little lady will be ready when we leave."

The boy gave Coop and oily smile.

"We will be out of your hair shortly."

Jas shrugged, how anyone could sleep after what had happened, he did not know.

Of course, maybe that was the point, if the kid had been on the run for who knew how long?

She was probably exhausted; her time aboard the Folly was likely the first real rest she had gotten in who knew how long.

Jas sighed.

He tried not to think about it.

It was none of his business.

Miss Valenthyne seemed pretty sure of all this, personally, he was not.

He reached out with the Force, trying to get some idea of what they were flying into. Sadly, he received no insight into what awaited them.

The future was always in motion, after all, and it was rare that it would offer up anything to Jas Dar Bynn.

Even now there were too many possibilities to make a guess of what was coming.

They just had to have a bit of faith in Char Valenthyne. She seemed to believe that nothing could go wrong.

Jas sighed and watched the counter continue its downward path.

Two minutes to real space.

He shook his head.

He hoped the woman was right.

IOI

The counter hit zero.

The Coop's Folly emerged from hyperspace.

The ship shook as it completed its reversion. Sensors and shields were offline. It was always risky for a ship when they first emerged from hyperspace, it took a few seconds for a ship's systems to catch up and begin functioning normally, shields were offline, and scanners were all but useless.

Jas Dar Bynn kept his hand over shield button, ready for the first sign of trouble. Before them floated the Affon gas giant, it was a beautiful cream and mocha colored planet with five vertical rings.

An attractive world, but also a dangerous one, known for its radiation storms the planet's mere presence disrupted both sensors and communications.

Jas checked his panels; He set the now functioning scanners to search for any ship that might be waiting nearby.

So far…they had found nothing.

The system appeared both quiet and empty.

Char Valenthyne was not pleased to hear that. She insisted that they flash their running lights as she had instructed them to do.

Jas followed that order, and at the same time, kept an eye on the scanners.

So far…they were picking up nothing.

The Coop's Folly was alone.

"Shall I send out an open hail?" Tessa asked.

"It shouldn't be necessary," Val insisted, "They are here."

Coop nodded grimly, but also looked over at the navigator's station, Figgy was wide eyed and alert, perhaps realizing that things were not going to be as easy as they hoped.

"Fig, begin calculating an exit jump for us, as quick as you can."

Val shot Coop an angry look.

"Just in case," he informed her, stopping any argument before it could begin.

The woman fell silent, but she remained vigilant, Jas could feel her eyes on their backs.

Coop ignored her for now, they were in the thick of things, and he had no time for her hostility.

Jas did not blame his friend; his reasons for taking precautions were sound. If they had to get out of here in a hurry, better to make preparations now.

"I'm moving us in closer," Coop informed their guests, "The planet's radiation might be messing with their scanners. They may not see us."

The Coop's Folly moved in slowly and carefully.

Jas remained on sensors, trying to detect the other ship.

_Maybe they are hiding_, he thought, _perhaps they had seen the Folly enter the system and moved closer to the planet, hiding in the rings._

He shifted the sensor focus to the planet, while at the same time reaching out with the Force.

A minute passed, then two…then…

The sensors beeped loudly, almost making Jas jump.

They had detected a large object, metal.

A ship?

It must have been powered down fully to avoid detection.

"Contact," he called out, "Move us down two hundred and ten degrees. Contact should be within visual range in two minutes.

"Two-ten, aye," Coop answered, "Going down."

The Folly dipped and moved on an intercept course. Jas brought the shields up, there was a lot of hard radiation out there, and between that and the rocks that made up the planet's rings, safety needed to come first.

The bridge was thick with tension; Burr had finally returned standing close to the entry hatch, watching their two guests closely. The former enforcer was cleaning his nails with a knife.

Jas did not think he needed to watch Val and Alric, still…

There was no shame in being careful.

Miss Valenthyne's eyes were focused on the main viewport, watching as they moved through the rings and the Bann vessel came into view.

"There she is," Jas called out with a slight smile, "We found them."

The other ship was slightly larger than the Folly, and far less boxy; dark blue armor sheathed its teardrop shaped frame. As they moved in closer Jas could make out the Bantoon glyphs scrolling along the vessel's side, he could not read them, but then again, he did not need to. He felt a wave of relief from Miss Valenthyne.

They had found her employer's ship.

Jas flashed the running lights in the sequence that she had given him; they waited for the other ship to power up and respond.

Nothing.

Jas frowned.

_He suddenly had a bad feeling about all this._

The vessel seemed more like a pleasure craft than a real transport, not the type of vessel to being hiding in the rings of a gas giant. The pilot had to have been extremely gutsy to move them this close to the rings...

…Gutsy, or extremely desperate.

Jas checked the instruments again.

They were detecting low power from the ship; maybe it had had some kind of mechanical problem. It could have drifted down into the rings.

"Maybe they can't see us," Val offered.

It was possible, Jas thought, but unlikely.

All you needed to do was look out one of the viewports. The Coop's Folly was not trying to hide.

Their ship was more than visible. The Bantoon crew should have hailed them by now.

"Shall we move in closer?" Jas suggested.

The Captain shook his head; he continued to stare at the other ship.

"Coop?" Jas asked.

"Just wait," Coop replied, raising his hand.

"Captain, we could…"

"Just…wait."

It was at that moment that a decent sized asteroid struck the other ship, its shields did not repel the strike, the rock was small, but still big enough to affect the drift of the Bantoon ship. It began to roll over, exposing its other side.

Jas hissed when he saw it.

Now they knew why the ship was not moving, and it was not because of mechanical failure.

Char Valenthyne gasped.

"No."

The Bann ship had been blasted open like an empty food can at a shooting range. Its decks opened to the vacuum of space, its crew exposed to lethal levels of radiation. Debris shimmered as the destroyed ship continued its lazy tumble through the void.

Jas reached out with the Force again, seeking survivors, and finding none.

The energy signature he had detected was likely from some reserve batteries that were still functioning. It was clear from the amount of damage that he was seeing that the other ship was gone, its crew lost.

_This was done quickly_, Jas realized as he looked at the debris. He was guessing military grade turbo-lasers had been used, that was the only thing he could think of to describe the damage he was seeing, how completely ripped open the ship had been.

A mere asteroid impact would not have done this. It was too extreme.

No this ship had been attacked, he was sure of it.

He knew it.

Despite the radiation, he ran another life form scan, hoping that what he was sensing was wrong, hoping that the ship's systems might find someone alive. He also widened the scanner range, seeing if he could pick up any escape pods.

Again, he found nothing. It had been quick and dirty, but the results were the same.

It may have mostly remained intact, but that did not change the truth.

The Bann vessel had been destroyed.

All hands aboard were dead.

Jas looked up at their guests. All of the color had drained from Char Valenthyne's face, her green eyes widened with horror.

"No," she gasped.

"No."

The boy Alric looked equally shocked.

"Gone," he murmured, "They are all gone!"

He swallowed hard.

"It is over."

Before Jas or Coop could respond, the Folly's sensors began to beep in warning, six energy signatures had been detected in the rings; six small vessels had been hiding in the rocks, waiting to see who was coming to meet the other ship.

Coop did not even bother trying to hail them, he knew what this meant.

"Figgy get us out of here," he tapped a button on the internal comms.

"Shusk, I'm going to need all the power you can give me."

He shot a glance at Jas.

"Raise the shields," he ordered, "The weapons hot?"

"Already done," Jas informed him.

"Then we're gone," Coop said swinging the Folly away from the wreck. They had barely moved an inch when blaster fire began to rake the void around them.

Alarms wailed as the Coop's Folly was first struck.

Coop shut them off. He didn't need them screaming in his ear.

They were in trouble, he knew that.

They all knew that.

Once again they were under attack.

Once again…they were running.

Tessa and Burr left the bridge without orders, heading for the quad turrets. Figgy hummed to himself as he continued the computation for their next jump. Coop tried to bring the Folly out of the rings and into open space, make it easier when they finally were far enough away to make a jump.

Their guests remained where they were. Char Valenthyne was wide eyed, her very being radiating with shock and horror. The boy, Alric, was both angry and devoid of hope. Jas could sense it.

Normally he would have tried to help the two, but he did not have the time.

Things were starting to get interesting.

He was needed here, and here is where he would be.

Space shifted as another ship emerged from hyperspace, right along their exit vector. It moved to block their escape route, cutting them off from the safety of hyperspace.

Coop cursed and brought them hard to port.

The ship that had destroyed Val's friends had arrived.

Scanners marked it as a Corvette, the hammerhead designed suggested Republic military, but the coloring and markings were all wrong. The other ship's transponder suddenly kicked on revealing their identity to the crew of the Coop's Folly.

Jas cursed under his breath.

_Damn it!_

"It's _the Scorekeeper's Mark_, Coop," he called out, "The lizards are after us."

"Damn," Gave Cooper hissed under his breath.

"Damn lizards."

"Lizards," Alric said from his place behind Jas, "What lizards?"

"Trandoshans," Coop informed him, "The Mark is a pirate vessel, its serves the Red Eclipse."

Jas shook his head.

The Red Eclipse.

Wonderful!

Primarily a Trandoshan operation, the Red Eclipse was a band of mercenaries that did the worse of deeds for the highest of prices. They were primarily known for slaving, but also did piracy and spice running on the side.

The fact that they were not even trying to hail the Folly suggested that piracy was not the reason that they were here.

A fact made even clearer when The Scorekeeper's Mark opened fire.

Coop brought the ship back towards the rings, trying to offer as little a target profile as he could manage.

"Figgy, where is my exit vector?" Coop demanded.

"Recalculating now, sir," the Bith shouted, "Standby."

It was then that the Red Eclipse fighters caught up to the Folly, their weapons raking at the freighter's shields.

The vessel shook around them.

The Folly's quad turrets opened up green flashes filled the void as Coop sent the ship corkscrewing back through the planets rings, dodging both rocks and enemy fire. Again the Folly shook as the fighters' mother vessel opened up with its main guns, superheating the void around the Folly; blasting nearby asteroids to slag.

The freighter rocked again and again. On the scanners two of the enemy fighters winked out, destroyed by either the ship's turrets or smashed into one of the rocks outside, but that didn't mean much.

Shields were down to seventy two percent, and falling.

They needed to get out of here.

"**We need to surrender!"**

Alric grasped the back of Coop's chair; the young man's eyes were wild with fear.

"We need to power down, and surrender," he said.

"It is **over**."

Jas ignored him, focusing on what he was doing.

"Did you hear me," Alric said, "We need…"

"Do you have any idea who we're dealing with," Coop asked him, his eyes still focused on the route ahead of them.

"That is the Red Eclipse out there, boy."

"From the way they're acting they have no interest in our surrender."

As if to stress that point, weapons fire again raked the space in front of the Coop's Folly; fire from the Mark's turbo laser batteries. Coop managed to evade them, barely.

Jas' eyes narrowed in concentration.

Those had NOT been warning shots.

The pirates were not trying to get them to stop.

No, Jas realized.

_They could not surrender._

_If they stopped now they were dead._

_There would be no negotiating with the Trandoshans._

_They would all be dead._

"We can't win," the boy said, his face paling, "All is lost; we need to speak with them. We must…"

Jas reached out and touched his arm, both with his hand and the Force.

"Rest," he said.

Alric's ranting stopped midsentence, the boy slumped to the floor by Jas' chair, his head lolling to the side.

Jas had no time to worry about him, they were still in trouble.

He needed to keep himself in the here and now.

He called on the Force.

Be with me, he thought. I'm one with the Force and the Force is with me.

I'm one with the Force and the Force is with me.

He shifted their flight five degrees, a turbolaser blast filled the space where they would have been.

Jas took a deep breath and let it out.

I'm one with the Force, and the Force is with me.

More blaster fire rang out as the ship continued to shoot through the planet's rings. Jas and Coop worked together, keeping the ship one step ahead of oblivion.

"Figgy," Coop growled, "Where is MY exit route?"

"Set course zero one zero," the navigator called out, "Escape vector will be possible in forty seconds."

Coop brought the ship up and around, plotting the course that the Bith had called out. Jas cycled the shields, trying to keep some defenses between them and their attackers. He moved with a speed that only one with the Force could manage.

They could do this, he thought.

We can do this.

Another fighter vanished from his screen; leaving only three pirate vessels to harass them.

The planet had protected them up to this point; the Mark could not lock weapons, not with all the radiation in this system.

He was amazed their fighters were able to keep up; those pilots would need several days in a kolto tank after this.

The Radiation from Affon was a killer, he did not know how tough a Trandoshan's skin was, but they would definitely need radiation treatment after this fight.

Provided any survived of course.

Jas brought his sensor focus back on the corvette. The pirate capital ship was moving, likely trying to cut off their escape.

Jas opened up the throttle, hoping that Shusk was keeping it together in the engine room. The Coop's Folly was faster than most ships of its design, with a little luck and the Force's aid they should be just fast enough to reach their exit vector before the enemy cut them off again.

"This is going to be close," Coop hissed through gritted teeth.

One of the fighters leapt out in front of them, and slowed, trying to give the capital ship a chance to bring its heavy weapons to bear.

Jas hit the firing stud.

The forward laser cannons opened up.

The fighter vanished in a ball of flame, flames that scorched the Folly as it flew through them, mostly untouched.

"Fifteen seconds to exit," Figgy called out.

An asteroid to their right exploded violently, the ship shook as it flew through the debris, one of the fighters pursuing them was not so lucky, it was torn apart by the explosion vanishing from the Folly's sensors.

Another down, Jas thought, only one left.

He took another deep breath.

I'm one with the Force, and the Force is with me.

The freighter finally emerged from the rings. Finally clear to engage, the Corvette opened fire, its forward batteries raking at the Folly's shields. Blasts flashed, and alarms began to wail.

The ship bucked with each strike.

Shields down to forty, thirty five, twenty two…

Come on, Jas thought, just a little farther…

…a little farther.

Figgy's voice broke through the chaos.

"Exit in three, two, one…NOW!"

Coop pulled the hyperspace handle.

The stars outside the viewport stretched.

The Coop's Folly leapt forward, vanishing back into hyperspace.

Something popped over Coop, causing him to jump from his chair, sparks spat down from one of the overhead consoles.

Damn it," he hissed, "that was close."

Jas sighed and leaned back in his chair.

Too close.

Figgy was there in a moment with a fire extinguisher. He sprayed the panel, stopping the overload before a real fire could start.

Jas checked the console, making sure everything was still functioning. He rerouted any malfunctioning systems to their reserve circuits.

He nodded.

Everything appeared to be in the green.

Despite the rough ride out of the system, they seemed to have made good their escape, hyperdrive was showing fully operational, and the engines did not seem the worse for wear.

He sighed.

_They did it._

_They were safe._

Coop looked down at Alric, the boy was on his knees, drooling, sound asleep.

The Captain chuckled and shook his head.

"You over did it," he told his old friend.

Jas shrugged.

What was he supposed to have done?

They had needed the boy out of their way.

He had done what was needed.

Alric was out of control. He may have been a guest, but…

Jas frowned.

Speaking of guests…

"Miss Valenthyne?" he asked.

Char Valenthyne had not moved since the attack had begun, not since she had seen what was left of her people's ship.

She stood there, unmoving and unblinking; her green eyes wide, her face pale.

"Miss Valenthyne," Jas repeated.

"Are you okay?"

The woman turned to Jas.

"A protector that fails must fall," she said in a dreamy far off voice.

"A protector that fails must fall."

"Miss Valenthyne," Coop said, "We need to talk."

She turned to him, looking past him, her eyes wide and glassy.

"A protector that fails…must fall," she said.

"Excuse me," Coop said, "what're you…?"

The woman pulled a small holdout blaster from her sleeve.

She put it to her temple.

"A protector that fails must fall," she said.

She started to squeeze the trigger.

Coop's eyes widened.

NO!

Jas was on his feet in a nano-second, he seized her from behind, using speed granted by the Force, he just managed to push the weapon away. She did not fight him, just tried to raise the blaster again.

She tried to put it to her head, tried to commit suicide.

Jas grunted.

He would not allow it.

He would not!

"A protector that fails must fall. A protector tha fails must fall."

She repeated the phrase like a mantra; she was bound and determined to blast her own head off!

"Get it away from her," Coop shouted, "Figgy help me!"

The Bith was there, Coop seized the woman's wrist, trying to make her let go of the blaster.

If she fired it here on the bridge, if the blast hit something…?

They could not allow it.

They had to stop her.

"Let go," Coop hissed, "**Damn it, woman!"**

"**Let go of the BLOODY blaster!"**

Val did not seem to hear him, she continued to try and put the blaster to her head.

"A protector that fails must fall. A protector that fails must fall."

The same phrase over and over again.

It was not a thought, Jas thought, it was a compulsion.

He had never seen anything like it. He…

He got an idea.

"Figgy, Coop hold her, I'm going to try something."

Jas released his grip and pushed Val into his shipmates' arms. She continued to struggle, continued to try and shoot herself.

Jas took a deep breath and gathered the Force to him.

He was not sure if this would work; the woman had seemed too strong willed, but now…now…

…Maybe.

She continued to struggle, tried to push Coop and Figgy away, she was a lot stronger than she looked; Jas had been hard pressed to hold her, even with the Force enhancing his muscles.

She looked at Jas with her vacant eyes.

"A protector that fails must fall. A protector that fails must fall."

Jas reached out to her, bringing his full will to bear.

"You will stop fighting," he ordered, waving his hand before her face, "You will stop struggling and stand at attention."

Miss Valenthyne paused; she stared at him with those empty eyes of hers.

She had not lowered her weapon, but she was not trying to shoot herself.

That was a one thing, at least.

She stood at attention, her blaster still in hand.

"I will stop fighting," she said in a cold monotone, "I will stand at attention."

She continued to stare at him blankly.

He doubted that she even knew where she was.

"Security Chief Char Valenthyne is ready to comply," she said.

The three men looked at each other.

Char Valenthyne was not acting like a person.

Coop shook his head.

The woman was acting like a droid.

What was going on?

Jas took another deep breath. He was not sure what to make of this, but at least she was not trying to kill herself now.

"You will hand over your weapon, and follow Mister Figrin to the medical bay," he ordered her.

Miss Valenthyne shuddered.

"I will hand over my weapon," she said giving the hold out blaster to Coop.

She turned to the Bith who looked between her and Jas with a look of pure disbelief.

"I will follow Mister Figrin to the medical bay."

The alien looked at his captain who nodded.

"Um, right," the Bith said taking the woman by the hand.

"Come along, my dear."

She did not resist as he led her off the bridge. She did not speak or do anything remotely human.

Captain Gabe Cooper looked down at the blaster and shook his head.

He turned to face Jas Bar Bynn, his clan brother and best friend.

"What have you gotten us into this time, old buddy?"

Jas winced.

He could honestly say, he did not have a clue, and the only one left who could tell them anything was an eleven year old girl.

He sighed.

_What have I done?_ He wondered.

_What is going on?_


	14. Vess

**Chapter 14: Vess**

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this."

Jas gave Tessa Calican a warm look, despite the fact that Coop had made her presence here an order, he was grateful for her company.

"Thank you, Tessa," he said, a grateful smile on his face.

"I appreciate you doing this."

The blond haired woman snorted, looking none-to-pleased.

Jas did not blame her.

This task would not be pleasant.

Both Val and Alric were currently in the medical bay. The boy had been left terribly groggy by Jas Dar Bynn's Force persuasion, and Miss Valenthyne was completely incapacitated. The woman had let herself be led to medical, but now just sat on the bed staring blanking at the wall. She seemed to have no will of her own. She would not speak or move without being led. The med-droid they had onboard diagnosed that it was shock, but Jas was not so sure. If it was shock it was a shock that was so profound that the woman would not, or could not, wake up.

The droid informed them that it had never seen anything like it, its programing having no record of such an affliction.

Coop was unwilling to accept that, they needed answers. They had been attacked twice since leaving Bantoon, and he wanted to know why.

The only one of their guests left to talk was Vess. The little girl was likely still sleeping in the guest quarters.

Jas and Tessa were going to talk to her now, to try and figure out what was going on.

Neither of them was looking forward to talking to the girl. Who knew how she would react when she learned not only about Miss Valenthyne, but the fate of the ship that they were to meet as well.

Tessa came from a big family, six little brothers and sisters. Coop thought that she would be best choice to approach the girl, having the most experience in dealing with children.

Tessa agreed, but only if Jas accompanied her.

"The girl trusts him," The comm officer reminded her captain, "this might go better if she sees a friendly face, and besides…"

Tessa chuckled.

"I think the girl has a bit of a crush on our Jas, it might help loosen her tongue if he is the one speaking to her."

Jas had coughed when he heard that.

_The girl…had a crush on __**him?**_

He…he had not seen anything to suggest **that?**

Regardless, he now found himself heading to the guest quarters with Tessa at his side.

He hoped that the little girl would be able to offer up some answers.

The Coop's Folly was flying blind right now. If they were to escape this, they would need to know what was going on.

They hoped that Vess would be able to supply them with answers.

It was their one best shot.

"So how do we do this?" Jas asked her, "It is not like we can just blurt out what has happened?"

"We need to be sensitive; that is true," Tessa agreed, "We don't want to scare her, or upset her any more than is necessary."

She smirked at him.

"That is why you are here, Jas, old boy. A girl is less likely to become hysterical in front of the guy she likes."

Jas gave her a dirty look.

Why did Tessa think that the girl liked him; and more importantly, why was it even a factor?

"All I did was save her life," he said dismissively.

"All you did," Tessa laughed, "Jas, you swept into a dark alley with your laser sword and snatched the poor girl from the jaws of death. Most girls are drawn to such heroism, especially when the hero is easy on the eyes."

Jas snorted.

He did not see himself as handsome; he was neither tall nor overly muscular. He would never tower over an enemy, or be able to inspire others with his words.

He was fine with that, more than fine. His time among the Jedi had taught him the value of servitude, looking out for others before yourself, and besides.

He frowned slightly.

The memory of his vision about becoming a dark warlord still haunted him. In that moment he had heard the dark side's call and resisted, but…who was to say if he was ever given power, real power, he would have the strength to resist again.

Everything he had seen since leaving Bantoon had left him feeling…angry. That someone would target an innocent young girl; try to kill both her and all that were trying to help her. It went against everything he believed in.

They have no idea who they are messing with, he thought; if I opened myself up to my emotions, fed my anger; I would have more than enough power to keep both the girl and this ship safe.

It was tempting, he could not deny that, but at the same time, he understood the cost of what was being offered.

If I went down into that abyss, I would never be able to find my way back. Eventually I would not care about those I wanted to protect; it would become all about me, and what I wanted.

That power, it did not aid you, it consumed and destroyed you.

He could not afford to touch it, not even for a moment.

The price was far too high.

The two of them arrived at the guest quarters; the door did not open at their command. It had likely been locked by Val before heading up to the bridge. Tessa used the override code to release it. The door slid open, and the two stepped inside.

They found Vess curled up in one of the bunks. She lay beneath her coat, her shoes sitting under the bunk. A soft sigh escaped the girl's lips as her skinny arms wrapped around the pillow.

Jas stood back while Tessa went to wake her. He felt sorry for having to do this; the child was sleeping so peacefully.

He sighed.

…That peace was about to be interrupted in the worse way.

Tessa went to the girl knelt down, she gently touched the girl's shoulder, the lightest touch she could manage.

"Wake up, little one," she murmured, "We need to talk."

The girl groaned and stirred, her large blue eyes opened and she sat up.

"Huh? Wha?" she rubbed her eyes and yawned.

Her eyes focused on Tessa.

"Is…is my mother's ship here," she asked, "Is it time to leave now?"

Jas winced at her words.

_My mother's ship_

_Her mother._

Oh no.

No.

The ship they were supposed to me had belonged to Vess' mother. If…if that were so…?

Jas shook his head.

_Poor child_, he thought.

_Poor, poor child._

Tessa winced, clearly realizing what the girl's words meant.

"I'm…I'm afraid there has been a problem, little one," Tessa said, "We needed to flee the Affon system, there were pirates waiting for us to arrive. The ship…the ship that was take you from Affon was…it had been attacked."

"Attacked," the girl's blue eyes widened, "Was anyone hurt?!"

Again Jas winced.

"The ship was…badly damaged," Tessa said, trying to come up with some way to soften the blow she was about to deliver.

"The ship…it…its crew…they…they were all gone."

Vess said nothing for a moment; she simply sat there, perhaps digesting what Tessa had just told her.

"Gone," the little girl whispered, she looked away quickly a wave of pain and sorrow washing over her.

"You mean dead," she said flatly, "My mother is **dead.**"

Tessa cringed.

"We don't know that for sure yet, baby. She might have escaped; we didn't detect any escape pods, but…"

Vess shuddered.

"She is dead," the girl said flatly.

"They are **all **dead!"

The girl's pain called out to Jas, he wanted to do something, say something that might help.

Yet, he had no words. He remembered very well the pain he had felt when Mother Nuna had died.

Yes, he understood that death was not that end, and that one enters the Force when their time comes, but that did not kill the pain for those left behind.

Jas wanted to say so many things, but he had no words.

He just stood there, saying nothing.

He felt like a fool.

The girl took a shuddering breath, her eyes were shiny with unshed tears, but she was fighting to hold it together.

"Val," she murmured, "I **want** Val."

Again Tessa cringed.

…More bad news to deliver.

"Val was on the bridge when we found the ship," she told the girl, "She reacted strangely when she saw it; what was done to it. She…she tried to hurt herself."

"Is she okay?" Vess asked the first hint of panic flashing in her eyes.

"She is alive," Jas said quickly, "I stopped her before she could hurt herself, but…"

The little girl nodded, she looked past Tessa, into his eyes.

"Thank you," she said, "Gods bless you."

Jas nodded, in truth he had done little, only prevented Miss Valenthyne from making a horrible mistake.

How could she willingly leave this poor girl behind? Who would have helped her? Alric? The boy seemed less than trustworthy to him.

"She is in the medical bay now, sweetie," Tessa said, "Our medical droid is taking care of her, but she won't talk to us, she just sits there, staring at the wall, not responding to questions, not even seeming to notice that anyone is there. Do you know anything about that? Do you know what is wrong with her?"

The girl said nothing to that, her brow furrowed cutely; she chewed her lips, as if deep in thought.

"The system," the little girl said, "Has to be the system, Val is…"

Her blue eyes lit up.

"I can help!"

The girl practically leapt out of the bunk, Tessa staggered back barely getting out of the way, and was almost knocked over. Vess threw on her jacket, and reached for her shoes. She sat down on the bunk to put them on.

"What's going on, kid," Jas asked, "You know something."

"I can help," the girl repeated lacing up her shoes, "Val needs **new** orders, she needs a **new** mistress."

Vess sprang to her feet.

"Mother gave me the code," she said, "If…anything were to happen…to her, she wanted to make sure that I would still have Val at my side. She made me memorize it. I practiced it for days and days. I had to repeat it to her; she wanted to be sure that I'd know."

A sad smile came to her face, thoughts of her mother, perhaps.

"Val needs to hear the code," she said, "that will wake her up."

Jas and Tessa looked at each other; they did not really understand what the child was talking about.

An activation…code for a person; that is what it sounded like, what the young girl was describing.

Droids had activation codes, not people.

Neither of them had ever heard of anything like it.

Now fully awake, functioning despite the pain, Vess stood before them, head high and proud.

"Take me to Val, please."

"I think I can wake her up."

Tessa led the way, with Jas following close behind with the girl; to say that he was impressed was an understatement.

This little one had a spine of steel, she was in pain, mourning, but she was still pushing ahead, her thoughts focused on helping Val.

It was…impressive. The child's determination was almost Jedi like.

He respected her for that.

They found Coop in the medical room, checking in on their two guests. Alric was awake now, standing up, and being examined by the bay's medical droid.

He looked abashed when he saw Jas enter with Vess, considering how he had panicked on the bridge, the boy likely felt horrible.

Jas resolved to speak with him later; it had not been his fault. He had simply not understood the danger they were in, the threat that the Red Eclipsed posed.

Jas held no grudge, the boy had done what he thought was best.

Char Valenthyne was sitting on the bay's examining bed. Her hands rested on her lap, her face was blank, her eyes vacant.

"Any change, Doc?" Jas asked the med droid.

"The subject remains unresponsive, Master Jas," the droid responded, "Physically, this patient is functioning within set parameters for a human female of her age, but…"

"She is simply lost," Jas added, "She won't respond?"

"Correct," the droid said, "It appears to be shock, but…"

"She needs her code," Vess said quickly, "It will wake her up."

Coop stepped back and let the little girl approach her protector. He looked up at Tessa and Jas.

"Code?" he whispered.

His crewmates shrugged, still not completely sure what was going on.

"You know what is wrong with her, kid?" he asked.

"Her mistress is dead," she said, "My Mom was on her ship, waiting for us."

Vess took another shuddering breath; thinking about her mother brought another spike of pain and sorrow. Jas reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched but relaxed when she realized it was him.

Jas smiled, he tried to let his sense of calm flow outward, to support the child in her time of need.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" he asked.

"You already have," she said with a shy smile, "You stopped Val from hurting herself, that couldn't have been easy."

"Why would she have done that?" Coop asked her, "Why try and…hurt herself."

"It is the system," the little girl answered.

"System? What system?"

"I don't know everything about it; only that every sworn protector goes through it."

The girl sighed and took a deep breath.

"I need to remember the code," she said, and started murmuring softly, again her brow furrowed, that single line of concentration.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Jas repeated.

"Quiet please," the girl answered, "I need to think."

The three smugglers watched as the girl stood before Miss Valenthyne, Alric was watching as well, sullenly.

Jas was not entirely sure what was going on, if this code the little girl was talking about would help.

He prayed to the Force that it would.

These kids needed Miss Valenthyne right now, despite her hostility to him and the Jedi in general, he thought the woman's heart was in the right place.

These kids needed her.

He hoped that Vess could help her.

Vess touched the woman's hands and brought them to her. Val remained unresponsive; not even acknowledging the girl was in the room.

"Come back, Val," the girl whispered, "Please, wake up."

She took another deep breath, and began to recite:

"Coral, loyalty, ocean, incarcerate…"

Val shuddered, after the second word her eyes blinked every time the girl spoke.

"Thief, promise, archipelago, honor…"

Val's body twitched, her blinking eyes now fully focused on Vess.

Jas looked at Coop, who shrugged.

It seemed to be working, but…

It was kind of creepy.

"Service, tsunami, choice, defend…"

Vess rubbed the woman's hands, her eyes filling with tears.

"Mistress, loss, protector, acceptance…"

She sniffled, but continued to speak.

"Security Chief Char Valenthyne," she said, "In the name of the Queen, you will awaken and serve. You shall shield my back, give me council, and protect my secrets, you will live for your mistress, and die if need be."

"My life for the matriarchy," Val said in a cold monotone, her eyes now focused entirely on the little girl in front of her.

"Awaken and serve, Security Chief Char Valenthyne," the girl said, "Comply, comply, comply."

Val gasped her entire body spasmed.

She almost fell on top of Vess, Jas and Coop were there if she needed to be held up.

Char Valenthyne looked around like she had awoken from a nightmare, her eyes wide, and her face alert.

"Damn it! Kriffin'…son of a…"

Her eyes darted around taking in the room, and then settling on the young girl holding her hands.

"Where," she gasped, "How?"

"Val?" the little girl said warmly.

The woman took a shuddering breath and nodded.

"Vess?" she asked.

The little girl could not hold it in any longer, the emotions she had been holding back finally forced their way out, she burst into tears and fell into the woman's arms.

"Val," she whimpered, "Val."

The woman held the child tightly, as she sobbed in her arms.

"It is okay," Val said, a single tear running down her own cheek.

"I'm here, Vess," she said.

"I'm here."

She looked up, noticing the others for the first time.

"How," she said in a small voice, "Why…why am I still alive? How did you…?"

"You can thank Jas for that," Coop informed her.

Jas shrugged.

"The Force was with me," he said dismissively.

If Val understood he couldn't say, but she nodded.

"Thanks," she said, "I…I shouldn't be here, but…thanks."

"He saved you," Vess murmured into her shoulder, "He saved you."

"So he did," she said with a sad smile.

She gently pushed Vess back the girl's eyes were red from her tears.

"Vess, the ship…your mother."

"I know," she sniffled, "Val…I…"

"I'm so sorry," she told the little girl, which only made the girl fall back into her arms, sobbing fresh tears.

Val held her, murmuring soothing words to her.

"I couldn't save her," Val murmured, "I'm so sorry."

She kissed the girl's forehead.

"Forgive me, My Queen."

Jas felt sorry for them, it seemed that Val's loyalty to Vess' mother had been great, she blamed herself for…"

Wait?

What?

Jas frowned.

Did…did Val just call the little girl "Her Queen?"

Had he heard that right?

"Security Chief Valenthyne," Coop said.

The woman looked up at him.

"Yes, Captain Cooper?"

"Would you like to explain what exactly is going on here? What me, and my crew, have apparently stumbled into?"

Val sighed, and shook her head.

"I would rather say nothing at all, but since we are at your mercy."

Vess stepped away, she wiped at her eyes with her sleeve.

"We can trust them, Val," she said, "We have to trust them."

The security chief nodded, but she did not look happy about it.

"We will need your aid, Captain Cooper," she said, "My party and I need safe passage to the Alderaan system, you will be well compensated for your time."

"Alderaan, huh?" Coop said, "Not a hard spin, a bit out of our way but…"

He smiled slightly.

"I would like to know exactly who I'm transporting. We have been attacked twice; it would be nice to know why."

Val looked at Vess who nodded again.

"Damn it," she murmured.

"I'm Security Chief Char Valenthyne," she said, "Sworn protector of Queen Annara of Bantoon, servant of the matriarchy, and shield of the royal family."

"No mere bodyguard then," Coop said.

"No."

"And our little Vess, here?" he asked.

Val's eyes narrowed.

"Watch your," she stopped herself, an angry retort she might have said dying on her lips.

She sighed.

"You are in the presence of Her Grace, Vessaria Istillo, Ninth of her Name, Voice of the People, Shield of the Matriarchy, and Queen of all of Bantoon."

The little girl blushed and shook her head.

"Too soon," she murmured, "I'm…I'm not ready."

"You must be ready." Val said, "Your mother's blood flows through your veins."

She gently stroked the girl's cheek.

"You have nothing to fear, My Queen," she promised.

"I will protect you."

Coop, Jas, and Tessa looked at each other; none of them had expected this.

It was…troubling to say the least.

A Queen, Jas thought.

Vess was a queen!

He shook his head.

One thing was certain; they were all in deep poo doo.

"Damn," Coop said.

"Yeah," Tessa agreed.

Damn.


	15. The Little Queen

**Chapter 15: The Little Queen**

_She looks so small._

Jas found the little girl sitting in the cargo bay. She was all but hidden in the shadows of one of the cargo racks, her skinny body barely visible. If he had not been actively looking he would never have seen her, only the white plumes of her breath gave her away.

She came here seeking solitude, hoping to find a place that she did not have to think, or perhaps to merely mourn without prying eyes watching over her.

She sat on the cold deck with her legs folded in front of her, looking up into the golden eyes of B1-0N. The load lifter droid had powered up, and was looking down upon the little girl, the two of them apparently in deep conversation.

Jas shook his head.

He still could not believe it, but he should not have been surprised. The Force had guided him to that alley on Bantoon for a reason, and now he knew why.

Vess, Vessaria Istillo, the first born daughter of Queen Annara V, Ninth of her Name, Voice of the People, and Shield of the Matriarchy.

The child had many titles, but only one truly mattered…Queen, the girl was the next ruler of the planet of Bantoon…

Jas shook his head.

…And she now had a very large target on her back.

_The Coop's Folly_ had returned to real space, only a few parsecs from their previous location. Coop knew that they could not stay here long; it was only a matter of time until the Red Eclipse sent for reinforcements, reinforcements that would likely be checking every world and station on _the Coop's Folly's_ last known trajectory.

We are being hunted, Jas thought morosely, and all because I just **had** to get involved, I had to play hero in a dark alley.

He looked down at the little girl, both with his eyes and with the Force. He could sense its power swirling around her, the influence she would one day wield, a mark of destiny, her presence in the Force had drawn him to her.

The queen of a world, and an innocent above all, any sense of self-pity faded when he thought about that. It was that realization that now strengthened his resolve.

He had no reason to be ashamed or angry at himself, he had done what was right. Vess **deserved** to live, to grow up and have a life, to see where her destiny took her.

He nodded grimly.

And he would be damned before he let someone try and hurt her again. The Force had brought him to this point.

He would not forsake it now.

IOI

After her awakening in the med bay, Security Chief Valenthyne had explained the situation to them. Jas and Coop had sat with her in the galley as she told them exactly why she and her young charges were here. Before her flight from Bantoon, she had been both the head of palace security, and personal bodyguard to Vess' mother, the Queen Annara.

"What about the boy, Alric," Jas had asked, "Is he a member of the royal family too?"

"One of Vess' cousins," she informed them, "The son of one of Vess' grandmother's younger sisters, nowhere near the throne."

The security chief sighed.

"Alric was training to be a sworn protector, like me. He has been in the program only a few months, and has not gone through the system yet."

She pursed her lips, her eyes cold and angry.

"He would have been Vess' protector when he finished his training, he was to replace a good woman, someone I'd known for years; she died in an accident three weeks ago."

Val said the word "accident" like it was a curse; it was clear how _accidental _she thought that particular accident was.

"It was the first of several deaths, and now I fear that Vess will be included in them, if I fail again."

The security chief shook her head.

"I failed the mother. I cannot afford to fail the daughter too, there is too much at stake."

Jas nodded taking in what he was hearing, he still did not understand what a sworn protector was, but it was clear that their loyalty to whatever noble they served was absolute.

It had to be, if Val had been willing to kill herself when she realized that her mistress was dead. Most guards would not go that far, but…knowing what he did about Force persuasion.

He knew that there were ways to condition the human mind, to program it to obey an order, even if the person knew it was wrong.

Was this what had happened to Val? Was this system she described some kind of brainwashing, a means to make sure that a bodyguard would not betray her mistress?

If so, the process seemed to have worked famously on Val. She was completely committed to protecting her charge.

Lucky, Vess, he supposed.

Jas looked over at Coop, his friend nodded grimly; recognizing what kind of position that Val and her party had put them in.

The Red Eclipse now **knew** _the Coop's Folly,_ and suspected who was aboard. It was also more than likely that the Bantoon security forces had sent scans of the Folly to their superiors, which likely meant that bounty hunters would soon be looking for the Folly as well.

They had a massive target painted on their hull. Who knew how far the conspirators that opposed Vess' mother would go to see their plans completed?

And they were still flying blind, Jas realized; if they were to help Val and those kids, they needed to know more.

The Security Chief needed to tell them more.

"So what happened?" Coop asked, "Why did the heir to the throne need to run from her homeworld?"

Val paused, not really happy about how things were going, but she was smart enough to know she had no choice.

She needed _the Coop's Folly_ and her crew.

She had to be honest with them.

Recent events on their homeworld had forced the reigning queen to make some hard choices concerning her daughter and heir. The coming of the Republic and the mining guild had poured fuel on a fire that had been simmering on Bantoon for some time. A faction among the world's nobles, a faction that had sought to see their planetary monarchy…reformed.

The queen's rivals had been trouble before, but now, with outside help, they had grown into something more, something **worse.**

The quick and dirty version of the story was that the mining guild had been…unhappy with Queen Annara, she had been slow to allow them access to the mineral rich moons that orbited the planet. She and the rest of the ruling matriarchy council had wished to let their people have a say in how quickly off-world influence was allowed on Bantoon. They had wished to proceed more carefully, put some of the changes that needed to be made to a vote.

The guild had not liked that, and had not been willing to wait.

Rather than try to sway the queen, the guild had sought out one of her rivals. Vess' Uncle Lyron was the one they had chosen, he had joined the royal family by marrying the Queen's younger sister, Adira, a sister that had been knocked out of the succession when Vess had been born.

Now the lord sought to correct that problem, according to Val, several suspicious deaths had occurred close to the royal family, starting with Vess' original bodyguard. Both Val and the Queen had suspected foul play in those deaths, and after a brief inquiry the two had come to the conclusion that the royal family was no longer safe on Bantoon. Lord Lyron had many supporters in both the military and the trading guilds that ran the Bantoon economy. The ease with which some of the deaths had occurred forced the queen to take drastic action, she feared not only for her rule, but her daughter's life.

"Her Grace first sent Vess to an academy half way across the planet, hoped that the conspirators would not be as strong in another city. Sadly, that proved false. Two of the body guards assigned to Vess were killed within two days of her arrival, only Alric remained, and that was only because he was disguised as a student, and not a formal protector."

"And so she sent you to collect the girl?" Coop asked.

Val nodded.

"I did not wish to leave my mistress's side, but she made it an order, the heir took precedence, she said. She would trust no one else with her daughter's safety; I went to the academy and retrieved both Vess and Alric. The queen knew things had gone too far; nowhere was safe on Bantoon.

"The only answer had been to get the child off world."

"Where were you going," Coop had asked, "As you said, Bantoon has been pretty isolated. You can't have had many off-world contacts."

"Alderaan," Val said, "It was a delegation from Alderaan that introduced us to your Republic. When they first arrived Queen Annara held a ball in their honor. It was during their visit that one of the ladies in the matriarchy entered into a whirlwind romance with one of these off-worlders. The two had only known each other a week but they now wished to get married. It was a scandal at the time, but now, it may prove to be a godsend."

Val chuckled.

"The queen allowed the lady to go off with her new lover, even performed the marriage rite herself, but the matriarchy still stripped the lady of her titles when she did. The woman has agreed to foster Vess until either the crisis ends or she comes of age, in return for her lost titles of course."

"Do you trust her?" Coop asked.

"The Queen did," Val shrugged, "The lady had served as one of her handmaidens since she took the throne, impulsive perhaps, but loyal to the Istillo family. Vess even called her auntie."

"She was the queen's best hope."

Annara V was to have met them in the Affon system, from there; she and Vess would have made the final journey to Alderaan. The ship that they had found destroyed was the royal transport. Val did not entirely understand how it had happened. The Queen had had a fighter escort; escorts that should have been able to hold off any attack and given the ship a chance to escape.

"Lord Lyron's reach seems to be longer than my mistress realized."

Val shook her head, the woman radiated pain.

"I should have been there. I…maybe I could have done something, stopped them, saved her."

"There was nothing you could have done," Jas had said.

"Yeah," Coop agreed "Unless you could have found a way to stop a corvette class capital ship with a hand blaster, your presence on that ship wouldn't have mattered. You would have been killed to, and that little girl would either be dead or in the hands of her enemies right now."

Val nodded, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Lord Lyron will answer for his treachery. It doesn't matter how many credits his off-world friends have given him. I will find a way to pay him back for my lady's death."

"What about the man's wife," Jas asked, "Could she be behind this as well?"

"Possibly," Val agreed, "Lady Adira loved her sister, but at the same time she was also blinded by her love for her husband. He has had her wrapped around his little finger for years."

The Security Chief frowned.

"If anything happens to Vess, Lady Adira will become queen, but it will be her husband calling the shots. As High General he will control our military, and I can't imagine Adira saying no to him, not ever. It has been many years since a man ascended to the throne on Bantoon. Our last king ended badly; His Lordship knows this, but with the military in his pocket, he will have a lot of power from behind the throne."

"What about the kids, father?" Coop asked, "He is head of the military, is he not? I remember reading that is how things are handled on your world."

It was a good question, but Val had no answers.

Val did not know what had become of Vess' father, Lord Trenn, the High General of Bantoon. He was supposed to have left before his wife and daughter, but Val had had no confirmation of that. As High General he should have been able to block any coup, but he was outmatched by the Vess' uncle. Lyron's popularity with the military had always made the man a threat, but he had lacked the resources to sway those generals and commanders who were too moderate to do anything drastic, the mining guild had shifted that balance of power, and now…the royal family found themselves on the run.

"So here we are," Val said, "You know the broad strokes of what has happened, and why Vess must make it safely to Alderaan."

A tired sigh escaped the security chief's lips."

"Can we count on you? I know it is much to ask."

Jas did not need time to consider, he knew where he stood.

The Force had guided him to Vess; he was determined to see her kept safe.

Coop chose to speak with the rest of the crew first, to weigh his options. Before Val could protest he assured her that both she and her charges were safe. They were guests aboard the Coop's Folly after all.

Coop was many things, not all of them good, but he did keep to his code.

A guest was safe under their host's protection. Even if he decided not to aid them, he would not actively work to do them harm. Val accepted that, and asked only that, if he decided not to aid her that he drop them off at the nearest inhabited system. She would make the rest of the journey to Alderaan from there.

Coop had assured her if that is the way that the crew decided he would do just that. Jas was not happy about it, but he understood his captain's point.

Coop had his crew, ship, and cargo to consider, they had survived the Red Eclipse once, but who knew what they might face next time.

It was the captain's call, but a freighter was no dictatorship, he wanted to see what the rest of the crew thought.

It was time to hear from the rest of them.

It was time for a council.

IOI

Coop brought them out of hyperspace, and summoned his shipmates to the galley. He had chosen to meet and confer with the rest of the crew, to get their input on what they thought he needed to do.

The Captain listened to each of his shipmates in turn.

Tessa Calican threw her support behind Val and her party; she thought that they should see the girl safely to Alderaan. It was a bit out of their way, but she did not like the thought that the Trandoshans were hunting an eleven year old girl.

She wanted to aid the little queen.

Shusk thought they should find the nearest Jedi Enclave and drop their guests off there. The Jedi Knights claimed to be the guardians of peace and justice after all, the little engineer reminded them.

Surely the protection of a young queen fell within their mandate.

Normally, Jas would have supported that idea, a few years ago, he might even have agreed to go with them, but now he was not so sure.

Bantoon was not officially in the Republic yet, the Jedi, in the interest of fairness would contact the planet and hear their side of the story. If Vess' uncle had the support that Val claimed, he might have enough support right now to convince the Jedi Order to send the little girl home, that this was an internal matter and they could handle it.

In the interest of peace and good will, the Jedi would likely allow that, it would be the right call, politically, but it would also likely end with Vess having a fatal accident. The Jedi would complain after the fact, but the damage would be done.

No, Jas thought, the Jedi were best kept out of this for now, and besides.

He had no desire to step onto the grounds of a Jedi Enclave; he likely would not be allowed to leave.

Burr thought that they should return straight to Ord Mantel, turn Val and her party over to Boss Tyntas.

"Were a Tyntas crew," he reminded Coop, "We took this job for Tyntas and are under contract, any problems should be consulted with him."

"We can't go back," Shusk squeaked, "Boss Tyntas would ransom the girl and her friends to the highest bidder, he wouldn't care what happened to the kid."

Burr gave the Chandra Fan a cool smile.

"I'm surprised that you are so worried about the kid, Shusk. So what if Tyntas decides to sell her, it is not our business, and besides,"

The man flashed a cruel smile.

"I'm sure we will get a nice finder's fee out of all this."

Jas watched the little alien engineer, Shusk was one of the most mild-mannered creatures he had ever met, but in that moment, the little alien radiated an almost murderous anger and rage, and it was all directed at Burr.

"We DON'T sell people," he growled, "We are NOT Hutts!"

Jas agreed with him, besides it was not Tyntas' call.

"I found Val and her party," he reminded everyone, "It was me that convinced Coop to bring them onboard. It was my responsibility."

He turned to his captain and best friend.

"I'll go with Val when she leaves," he said, "Makes sure that she makes it Alderaan."

"Playing the hero again?" Coop asked.

"Taking responsibility for my actions," Jas Dar Bynn repeated.

Burr was amused by that.

"So you will face the Red Eclipse alone, with just that woman's help, and your laser sword?"

The enforcer chuckled.

"You're heroic, I'll give you that. Though if you think that Boss Tyntas will be happy with us if we let a pay day like this girl slip through his fingers you have another thing coming."

Jas glared at the man.

"The kid is not some prize to be won."

Burr clearly disagreed; he pushed back his chair and stood up.

"I say Ord Mantel, we got a shipment to deliver, and our passengers are likely more valuable than the rest of our cargo combined. I say we go where the credits are, despite what Jas here thinks. Now if he wants to stop us from making our delivery…"

Jas' eyes narrowed, of all of their crew he knew Burr the least, and Burr did not know him.

He knew little of Jas' time with the Mandalorians and even less of his time as a Jedi. He assumed Jas carried a lightsaber because he was eccentric and good with a blade.

The man had no real idea who he was dealing with.

Jas stood up, his eyes as cold as space.

"If I wanted to; I could stop you," he promised Burr.

The air in the room turned tense, the rest of the Folly crew looking between the two men.

The enforcer sneered, his stance shifted as if readying for a fight.

Coop chuckled, and raised his hand.

"As much as I would like to see what is about to happen, you both are forgetting two things."

He looked directly at his old friend.

"I'm Captain of this ship, I've only asked for your opinions because the call I make affects you. I will take your ideas into consideration, but in the end it is still MY call. I will do what I think is best. You all know how I feel about guests on my ship. I'm not the type to betray those who have slept under my roof."

He looked at Jas.

"We've known each other for a long time, trust me now."

Jas nodded, he relaxed from his combat stance.

"You're the captain," he agreed, and sat down.

He just hoped that his old friend would make the right call.

The enforcer did not back down, he seemed as willing to fight as ever.

"You said there were two things we were forgetting," Burr said.

"Yes," Coop said, "Security Chief Valenthyne, if you think she is just going to let you sell her and her mistress to Boss Tyntas, you are gravely mistaken, the woman will defend those kids with her life."

"I was in the Republic military, Cap'n" Burr said, "I can handle some bodyguard from a backwater. I can…"

CLINK! THUMP!

The sound came from behind Burr, he did not turn around and he did not need to. He was smart enough to guess what was happening; especially considering the looks of amusement on his shipmates faces.

The clinking sound was the grate on one of the air vents behind him opening; the Thump was someone landing on the deck, someone that came **out** of that vent.

Burr sighed. He heard another familiar sound, the sound of metal clearing leather.

He had been a soldier long enough to know what that meant as well.

"The Security Chief is right behind me, isn't she?" he asked.

"Yup," Jas said with a smirk.

"She has got a blaster pointed at my back, doesn't she?"

"That she does," Shusk giggled.

Burr sighed and shook his head.

"Fine," he said, "what is your call, Cap'n?"

Coop nodded, and looked passed the man to his guest...

"I trust you found our conversation enlightening, Chief Valenthyne?"

"Just wanted to make sure that Vess was safe," she said, never removing her blaster from Burr.

"So what are we doing?"

Coop nodded.

"It seems we are going to Alderaan," he said.

"Figgy, we are going to need a round-about course to the core. We need to avoid straight shots if we can, the Eclipse will likely be watching those."

"Aye, Captain," the Bith said shaking his head, their navigator had remained quiet during their meeting likely trying to figure out the odds of their continuing survival.

From the sound of it, he was not overly happy.

"I could have been a musician, mother wanted me to join my brothers in their band, but no, I had to go out and see the galaxy."

"It is okay Figgy," Tessa said, "We got this."

The Bith sighed, a strange whistling sound coming through his mouth flaps.

"Yes we will," he said looking up at his captain.

"Alderaan?" he asked.

"Alderaan," the crew said at once all agreed in unison.

Val did not lower her blaster until Burr acknowledged the same, he glared at her, but was smart enough not to push the issue.

The choice had been made.

They were going to Alderaan.

IOI

Jas quietly approached the girl, not wishing to scare her.

Vess had slipped away after helping wake Val. The chief wasn't too worried about the girl, but still asked Jas if he would help find her.

"I know it is not a big ship, but…"

Jas nodded.

"I'll find her," he promised.

"Thank you," Val said, looking down at her feet.

"I'm sorry for the way I treated you in the beginning, I…I misjudged you."

"You are protecting your charge," Jas said, "You **should **be careful."

After that, he had gone looking, as he had told the Security Chief it was not a large ship.

He paused when he was able to hear the girl's voice curious what she and the droid were discussing.

"So, the little mistress is a queen then?" Beaten asked.

"If my mother is truly gone, then yes," Vess murmured sadly.

"I'm now the queen."

The droid tilted its head slightly.

"Then why is the little mistress so downhearted? I thought all organics wanted to rule their worlds?"

"Maybe they do," Vess replied, "But they don't know what that means, they have not been learning to do that since they were four years old."

The girl sighed, her voice sounding so much older than it should have.

Mom says that wearing a crown does not mean that you can do whatever you want. It is a terrible responsibility, and a privilege. You speak for those that can't speak for themselves. You do your best to make sure that your people are happy and the world is thriving."

The little girl sniffled.

"You will rarely be thanked for it. Some will even say you are wrong for standing in their way, but you must always try to do what's right for the people; even if they don't realize it at the time."

"Sounds like being a cargo droid," Beaten said morosely.

The child giggled.

"It is not as simple, but…I suppose we both have to expect little thanks when doing our jobs."

Jas smiled when he heard that.

He would likely never get to meet Vess' mother, and that was a shame, it sounds like Annara V had done much to prepare her young daughter for the crown.

If the girl stayed the course, if she remembered the lessons that her mother had taught her, she would likely be a very skilled and good monarch.

All the more reason to ensure her survival, he thought.

Her people may need her one day.

"So what will the little mistress need to do," the droid asked, "What does the Queen of Bantoon do?"

"Many things," the girl answered, "I will need to meet with the matriarchy, make sure they are working in the best interest of our people. I will also need to attend political functions, travel to the other cities for festivals and trade negotiations."

"Sounds incredibly boring," the droid answered, "But what do I know, I move cargo all day."

Again Vess laughed.

"I will also spend a lot of time yelling at the matriarchy, mother did that a lot. She needed to make sure they understood that she looking out for our people; that it was not simply about the nobles and their needs."

Vess shifted slightly.

"I…um…will…also need to marry, I suppose. Mother hadn't arranged a marriage for me yet, despite the matriarchy's insistence. I will need to choose someone strong for my husband, he will lead our military forces after all, protect our people on the battle field as I will on the floor of the matriarchy, and…I suppose that I will have to have children, to ensure the continuance of the line. The Istillo family has ruled Bantoon since the unification; the royal line has not been broken in all that time."

"I will need to do my duty."

"Sounds like you already know what you need to know," Jas said stepping out from the shadows.

Vess gasped and shot to her feet, her face turning as red as a Sith Lord's blade.

"Mister Jas," she said refusing to meet his gaze, "I…I did not realize you were here."

"Sorry," he said holding up his hands. I didn't mean to startle you."

"Um…ah…It is okay," the girl said shyly, rubbing her arms and shivering slightly.

Jas frowned.

The cargo bay on a freighter was not the best place to hide in. The heating units functioned but it was still quite cold in here.

He took off his nerf hide coat and draped it over her shoulders.

"Oh she said shyly, "I…um…I can't…I shouldn't."

"It is okay," Jas said warmly, "I have another one, and we wouldn't want you getting sick down here."

"Okay," the girl said, "If you wish."

She allowed him to put it on her, it was a bit big, but it was also warmer than her school jacket.

"There," he said stepping back, "It looks good on you."

Again the girl blushed and looked away.

"Thank you sir," she murmured.

"The little mistress was telling me about how horrible her life would be as queen," Beaten informed him, "It certainly makes my life seem far less troubling."

"I never said being queen is horrible," Vess reminded him.

"My apologies, little mistress," the droid said, "Perhaps I misheard you, perhaps it is another flaw in my programming, yet another pain that I must endure."

The droid's vocalizer hissed.

"Perhaps I should just shut down for a while. Maybe things will be better when I power up again.

The droids head folded down, and the light of his eyes faded.

Jas shook his head.

Perhaps Coop should consider a memory wipe for the droid. Yes it was stable, but…

Vess looked up at him.

"My life will not be horrible," she said, "But my responsibilities will be many."

He smiled.

"The fact that you understand that now will make things much easier for you later. From what I heard you are already on the path to becoming a great queen."

The girl curtseyed, her blush returning to full bloom.

"Thank you ser, that means much to me. I can…"

_**KER-WHAM!**_

The ship shook as Jas was suddenly flung into one of the cargo containers, Vess shrieked as she lost her balance and likely would have fallen had Jas not sat up and stopped her.

Steam hissed from above them and alarm began to blare.

"What is happening?! Vess cried out.

"What is going on?!"

This way," Jas said taking her by the hand leading her up the walkway.

He was not sure what had happened, but it wasn't good.

He paused, pushing away the blaring alarms and listened.

The engines? He could no longer hear the sub-light engines.

Damn.

The Coop's Folly was offline!

Val emerged from the corridor above them. She saw him leading Vess, and went to meet them.

"What is going on?!" she called, "Mister Cooper?"

Jas pushed passed.

"Watch the kid," he told the woman, passing Vess off to her.

He needed to get to the bridge.

He could feel the slight tip of the ship, artificial gravity was failing.

If so, they were in even worse trouble.

It felt like the ships systems were gone, despite the many fail safes; that was not good.

The Coop's Folly was dead in space…

…And if they were not careful…

…they would all be dead too.


	16. Breakdown

**Chapter 16: Breakdown**

"**What is going on? Somebody talk to me?!**

Jas arrived on the bridge to find it in chaos, Coop's hands were flying over the control panel; he was checking every instrument they had; meanwhile, Figgy and Tessa continued to shout out reports from their stations, letting the captain know what they were seeing on their panels.

"Main power is offline," The Bith called out, "Navigation and defensive systems are not responding."

"Reserves are functioning," Tessa added, "We still have life support and gravity, but I can't say for how long; trying to raise engineering now."

Coop hissed.

"Pipe it through my terminal; I want to speak with Shusk."

Tessa obeyed as Jas took his seat next to his captain and best friend.

He still could not say what had happened. _The Coop's Folly_ had performed well; it had done everything they required for a ship of its type and size. Randa Halcyon, and her team, had done their job well.

He did not see how such a catastrophic system failure could occur.

Randa was too good of a mechanic to allow for something like this.

It did not make sense.

"**Shusk! Report!"** Coop called out over the comm system.

"**Shusk?** Can you hear **me?!"**

The only response was static.

Coop's eyes narrowed.

"Burr," he called out over the comm again, "Go down to engineering, find out what happened to Shusk."

Again, there was no answer, just static.

Coop looked over at Tessa.

"Are internal comms down too?"

"Not according to my board," she said checking again, "Everything is in the green, but whatever took down main power _**might**_ have fried our comm system."

Jas frowned as he checked his own monitor.

He saw nothing on his terminal, nothing to suggest what had occurred; why they had lost power.

What had just happened?

"I'll go check on Shusk," Jas offered, "See if he can tell us what is happening."

"Go," Coop replied, "Take Tessa with you, see if you can find any physical damage to the comm system while you are at it."

The young Captain sighed.

"And make sure our guests **stay** in their quarters, at least until this is over."

Jas nodded and made for the exit hatch, Tessa falling in step behind him.

He could feel the tension in the air, what was happening should _**not**_ have been happening. _The Coop's Folly_ had fail-safes; at least one of them should have kicked in and prevented main power from shutting down.

_So what happened?_

_Was this all some mechanical failure, or…_

His frown deepened.

_Was it something __**more?**_

As they made their way down the command walkway, Tessa paused every so often to open up this panel or that. She muttered something about the comm lines, that Randa had hardwired internal comms to prevent any type of jamming or electronic interference.

The communications officer pursed her lips.

"What do you think the chances are of this all being some kind of coincidence?" she asked.

"I take it you are referring to our guests?" he replied.

Tessa nodded.

Jas considered what she was saying, but at that moment, it made no sense.

Unless the ship had been more damaged in their scuffle with _the Scorekeeper's Mark_ than they realized; everything **should **have continued to function normally, they should have been on their way to Alderaan right now.

He reached out with the Force, trying to get some idea of what was going on, some…sense of what the future might hold.

He felt nothing.

Jas shook his head.

What Tessa was suggesting was that this power failure was intentional, and if it was, that meant one of two things.

One: The Red Eclipse had managed to attach some type of device to _the Folly_ during their escape. It was possible he supposed, all that debris and the planet's rings, the Trandoshans _could_ have attached a device to their hull, perhaps something hidden in a warhead that missed a direct hit, yet still managed to launch something, something that would send…an ion pulse…maybe…through their hull and fry their systems?

It was a common enough pirate trick, but considering what they had faced, he did not see the Trandoshans using it, an ion pulse device was used for taking a ship intact, _the Scorekeeper's Mark_ had tried to **destroy **them.

Plus, _the Folly_ was designed with external scanners, Randa had made sure that they would have a means of detecting something attached to the hull, be it a bomb or a tracking beacon, those scanners should have picked up such a device and warned the crew before anything catastrophic had happened.

Could the enemy of used such a toy, possibly, but Jas did not see how it could have avoided detection, besides, it would have been pointless. _The Folly_ had been no match for _the Mark_; it should have been over the moment the corvette emerged from hyperspace. The Red Eclipse would have known that.

Why waste the device when you had an enemy ship outgunned, it had only been a matter of the Force that _the Coop's Folly_ had escaped.

No, he found the first scenario unlikely, which, of course, led to the second possibility, one that Jas really did not like to think about.

Two: Someone onboard _the Folly_ had done something to disable to the ship, to set them up to be found by the Red Eclipse.

Of course, that was insane, who would be stupid enough to try such a thing? The Red Eclipse had proved earlier that they were not interested in taking prisoners.

To disable _the Folly_, and await the arrival of the pirates would be suicide!

Tessa stopped at another junction and opened the panel, she frowned as she dug through the wires, and Jas noticed a blinking red light.

"Damn," Tessa hissed, "Damn it!"

"What?" he asked.

Tessa did not respond, she reached for her personal comlink, the one means of communication that was still open to them...

"Captain? Can you hear me?""

"Yeah, Tessa, what've you got?"

She shook her head.

"The ship's emergency beacon was tripped when the reactor went offline," she informed him, "All comms are out except for our emergency distress beacon."

She sighed.

"We are broadcasting our location on an **open** channel, **anyone** could pick it up."

"Get it off line," Coop called back, "Now."

"I have to cut the hardline in the engineering section," she informed him, "The emergency system will only shut off if reserve power is no longer connected."

"Do what you have to;" Coop said after a brief pause, "We can't afford to be found before we get the ship back online."

"Roger that," Tessa replied, "Any luck getting ahold of Shusk or Burr?"

"Neither of them are answering," Coop said, "Don't worry about that right now, the beacon is your priority; that and getting main power back."

"Roger," she said, "on our way now."

It was at that moment that both Val and Alric joined them, the two Bann security officers emerged from their quarters.

"What is going on?" Val asked, "Why are we stopped?!"

"We are going to figure that out right now," Jas promised, "We're heading back to main engineering."

Char Valenthyne nodded.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" she asked.

He thought of telling them no, of following Coop's orders and telling them to remain in their quarters and to keep an eye on Vess.

Yet, that did not feel right, and besides, it was not like their lives were not on the line too.

They could use all the help they could get.

"We will know more, once we hear from Shusk," Tessa told them, "We also need to turn off our emergence beacon, it is hardwired to broadcast our location if the ship suffers any kind of failure, it's now broadcasting our location on all emergency channels."

Val's eyes widened at that. Neither Jas nor Tessa had to explain what that meant.

"I don't suppose either of you know anything about ship communication's systems?" Jas asked.

Surprisingly, Alric smiled.

"My mother runs the largest communications firm on Bantoon," he informed them; "Before I joined the protectors she had me fixing all kinds of comm equipment."

Val looked at her subordinate.

"You think you could find a way to jam the emergency beacon? Could you stop it from giving our location away?"

"Maybe," the boy said with a shrug, "I would need access to the comm system, preferably on the bridge."

"I'll take him there now," Tessa offered.

"What about the hardline?" Jas asked, "I don't know how to disable it."

"Contact me on your link," Tessa offered, "I can walk you through it if you need my help."

Jas nodded, while Tessa and Alric made their way forward; that left him and Val alone.

The security chief was wound up like a spring; Jas could feel her tension, her worry about what was going on.

"Is Vess okay," he asked her.

"I told her to lock herself in the cabin, and only open up if Alric or I came to get her."

She gave him a serious look.

"What are the chances of this being some accident?" she asked.

Jas sighed.

"I would prefer to say, unlikely, but considering everything we have seen so far…"

Val nodded.

"Always expect the worst, and you will never be surprised," she said.

He nodded.

Grim, he thought, but sadly true.

"Come on, engineering is this way."

The two of them moved together. Jas pulled out his comlink and tried to raise either Shusk or Burr, getting no response from either of them. The Chandra Fan was not the type to leave his post, if he wasn't responding; it was likely that he was unable to.

Jas did not want to think about that.

Val said nothing as she followed him, but then again, she did not need to.

He could sense her distrust starting to rise again.

"Do you think your pet thug betrayed us?"

He shook his head. He may not have liked Burr all that much, but that did not mean that he thought the man was stupid.

"He has nothing to gain by trapping us here, and certainly nothing to gain by giving away our location."

"Yet, he did want to sell Vess to your employer," she reminded him, "Could he be seeking to make a deal with the people hunting us?"

"Is he above doing such a thing? No," Jas admitted, "But once again, I still don't see it. The Red Eclipse is not famous for negotiation, and they have already tried to blow up this ship once…"

Jas shook his head.

"Burr would know that dealing with them was pointless. I don't think he is responsible for this. The facts don't add up. What is the point of trying to sell someone out if people you are trying to strike a deal with are trying to murder you along with everyone else?"

Val nodded.

"I see your point, still where is he then? Why won't he respond?"

Jas frowned.

He had no answer for that.

If Burr had done something to Shusk and disabled the main reactor, would he have simply gone into hiding? The ship wasn't that large, and it would not take the crew long to find him, provided they got things working again.

A new thought occurred to him.

What if Burr was in the engine room? What if he was waiting to pick off whoever came to check on Shusk?

Jas' wrist flexed, he felt his lightsaber drop into his hand.

If Burr **was** waiting, if he was stupid enough to think he could work a side deal with the Eclipse, he was in for a very nasty surprise.

Val noticed that he had his weapon in hand.

She gave him a cruel smile.

"I thought you didn't believe your pet thug was behind this?"

Jas Dar Bynn shrugged.

"I've underestimated the stupidity of people before.

"I won't make that mistake again."

She nodded and drew her blaster.

"Whatever happens, I got your back."

He nodded, grateful for her support.

They continued down the walkway. Jas tried not to think about the distress beacon, or who might be out there listening for it.

Time was definitely not on their side.

They needed to get this done, and fast.

He picked up the pace.

The clock was ticking.

IOI

They arrived to find the engine room sealed the emergency blast doors were down.

Jas cursed under his breath.

I should have known that it wouldn't be easy.

He entered his pass code on the terminal next to the door. Both he and Coop should have had access to all ship's systems.

The panel beeped loudly, a red blinking light flashed over the keypad.

His codes were not going to work.

"Locks been scrambled," he informed Val.

"Is there any other way to get it open?" she asked.

"Cutting torch…maybe, it will take time though, and that is something that we don't really have right now."

Val gently pushed him aside and knelt down before the lock; she reached into her coat and pulled out a small bundle from one of its interior pockets. She unrolled it and pulled out two small electronic devices.

Jas' eyes widened. He recognized them from his days in Clan Nuna.

"Those are electronic lockpicks," he said, "N series?"

"X series, actually," Val said interfacing with the terminal.

Jas shook his head.

X series?

"You know those are illegal in Republic space, right? Even having one of those on you is an automatic two year sentence on a penal colony."

Val gave him a saucy smile.

"Bantoon is not officially part of the Republic yet," she reminded him, "And besides…"

Her smile turned playful.

"I won't tell if you won't."

In spite of everything that was going on, Jas snorted with amusement.

It seemed that Miss Valenthyne was just full of surprises.

"I thought you were some kind of royal guard?"

She shrugged.

"Technically, I was **captain **of the royal guard, but that doesn't mean that I didn't have a life before I joined the protectors. My childhood was…interesting to say the least."

"So you weren't noble born then?"

"Nope," she said entering a command with her lock pick. The screen above the panel began to flash green.

"And you still managed to become a security chief and sworn protector of your queen?"

Jas smiled.

"Impressive."

Val chuckled.

"There are many things that I could do to impress you, Not a Jedi, but we are a little pressed for time at the moment."

Jas laughed, but he could not completely stop the blush coming to his cheeks.

That last statement sound a little…suggestive.

In the short time since they had met, he had come to respect Char Valenthyne, it was not an easy thing, swearing yourself to defend others.

The fact that she was an attractive young woman did not hurt matters either.

He smiled and shook his head.

He let it go for now.

Now…was not the time.

His comlink beeped, he hoped that it was Coop with some good news.

"Yeah?"

"How's it coming down there, old buddy," Coop asked.

"Engineering has been sealed off, the lock was scrambled."

"I see," Coop replied, sounding worried.

"You need any help down there?"

He looked down at Val, who shook her head, no.

At that moment, the security chief's full attention was on the blast door, an X-series lock pick was one of the finest slicing tools on the black market, or so he had heard from the slicers that had served Clan Nuna.

If she could not get the door open with that, nothing would work.

"Alric and Tessa have managed to jam the emergency beacon," he informed them, "Though she still thinks that it is a good idea to shut down the system entirely. Call me back as soon as you have breached the door."

"Roger that," Jas replied, "Talk to you soon."

"Over and out."

Jas shut off the comlink and returned his attention to Val, the woman was humming softly as she worked, a series of numbers scrolled across the face of the control panel.

"Almost there," Val murmured.

"Just a few more seconds; and…"

The door beeped loudly. The panel above it flashed green, and the door to the engine room irised open.

Val was on her feet in seconds, her blaster at the ready. Jas held up his lightsaber but did not ignite the blade.

He reached out with the Force, trying to get a sense of what was inside. He sensed both pain and confusion.

Shusk…maybe?

"I'm going in," he told Val.

"I'll cover you," she promised, "Stay frosty."

He nodded and slipped into the compartment, all the while he was reaching out to the Force, wrapping himself in its light.

He could still not get a sense of what was in here. He sensed something but…

Pain.

Confusion.

Nothing was really clear; he tried his best to tune it out.

It was not a good idea to be distracted.

They needed to get things up and running again, and fast.

The engines took up much of the compartment, with the reactor sandwiched in between. The core glowed weakly, at least it wasn't smoking or damaged, the only illumination in the room came from the overhead emergency lights, and that was not much.

The room was thick with shadows. Anyone could be hiding in them, or anything.

He finally ignited his lightsaber, violet light filled the chamber.

He picked up his comlink with his off hand.

"Tessa, we are in engineering, how do I disable the beacon? Where do we start?"

"There should be a panel behind the reactor casing," she responded over the link, it will be a large red box with four black power cables feeding into it. You are going to need to disconnect those cables."

"Roger that," Jas said, searching with both his eyes and the Force.

He could sense something was amiss, but was not sure what it was.

Val stayed close, her eyes scanning the shadows, it might have been Jas' imagination, but it seemed like the security chief's eyes had an almost feline like glow to them.

He was about to ask her about it, when she suddenly tensed, her blaster came up.

"There is someone back there," she whispered, "To the right, behind the engines."

He searched with his own eyes and with the Force, he sensed it then, the source of what he was feeling. Pain seemed to radiate out from where Val was pointing.

The two moved in closer, Jas stayed in front; ready to cover Val if any blaster fire came from the shadowed corner. Jas did not think that it would. He sensed no threat, only a sense of pain and confusion.

They continued to advance, the shadows pushed back by violet light. Finally two shapes emerged from the shadows.

Jas' eyes narrowed.

They had found Shusk.

The Chandra Fan was curled up in a small ball, shivering slightly. Jas leaned down to check him, finding an ugly cut on the top of his head, blood leaked from the wound as the small alien continued to shiver.

The engineer was hurt, but at least he was not dead.

One small mercy to come out of this, he supposed.

"There should be a med kit up near the door," he told her, "See if you can find it."

She nodded, glancing over his shoulder.

"How is he?" she asked.

"Head wound," he answered, "Maybe a concussion, but he is alive."

Val began to back up, but not before she noticed what else was in the room.

Her blaster came up, with the safety off.

"Don't move!" she called out, "Let me see your hands!"

Jas looked up, and that is when he saw it too.

They had found Burr as well.

The enforcer was crouched down behind where they had found Shusk; he was propped up against one of the engine coils.

Jas was about to stand up and bring his weapon to bear, but quickly realized that it was not necessary,

Burr was unconscious too!

"What the hell?" he murmured.

Jas leaned in closer, illuminating Burr's body. He was alive, Jas could tell that through the Force, but he did not look good at all.

The veins around his neck were practically standing up against his skin; both his nose and mouth were covered by some kind of white froth.

Not a pleasant sight to be sure.

"Val, look at this," he said bringing a bit more light down on Burr's body.

The Security Chief frowned, her eyes narrowed.

"He's been poisoned," she said flatly.

"No kidding," Jas said dryly, "Is it fatal? You recognize it, right?"

She nodded.

"It is coral skate venom, its paralyzing agent, we use it in the guard, to subdue people that the nobles want questioned; at least, the symptoms looks like coral skate venom."

Jas reached out carefully, lifting up Burr's head, he saw something; something shiny was stuck in the man's neck.

He used the Force to remove it; it came out with a gentle pop.

It floated before Jas' eyes, a small trident shaped dart, barely the size of a human finger nail.

"Now where did you come from," he murmured to himself.

Val was once again at his side, looking over his shoulder, she had slipped away and returned with the med kit.

"From one of these, probably," she said holding out her left wrist.

Jas frowned as he looked over.

Val had a small device strapped to her arm, similar to the sheath he had for his lightsaber. He could see that it was a weapon of some sort; he could just make out the tips of the six of the little darts in its housing.

He almost used the Force to fling the security chief back, fearing that he was about to get hit with one of the darts, but such an attack never came, Val wasn't trying to attack him, she was simply showing him what had put down Burr.

Plus, Val's dart launcher was full, there were no empty slots.

She had not taken down Burr.

It was at that moment that Shusk regained consciousness; the little alien groaned and tried to sit up. He squeaked with pain as he touched his head.

"Easy there, little guy," Jas said supporting his back.

"Don't make any sudden moves."

"Jas," alien murmured weakly, "Comm systems…shut down…must…shut down the comms."

"They are already down, Shusk; only the emergency beacon is working."

The little alien shook his head.

"No…internal…internal comms, power…power surge…building…building in the internal comms. Feedback…feedback into the reactor…shut…shut everything down."

Coop took the med kit from Val, who continued to watch over his shoulder. He pulled out a small bottle from the case.

"Easy now," he said, tending to the alien's head wound.

"This is a kolto spray; it will help until we can get you fully checked out. We need to get the reactor up and running again, Shusk, we are dead in space right now."

The alien blinked his large eyes, his whiskers twitched.

"Shut down reactor," he said, "I…I shut it down, prevented powers surge from overloading everything…sloppy…sloppy job. It…it could have killed us all!"

Jas' eyes narrowed, putting what he was hearing together.

There had been a power surge in the internal comm system, a power surge that fed back into the reactor system. Shusk had detected it and tried to fix to the problem. He had probably had only enough time to isolate the reactor when he was attacked struck from behind.

Burr might have seen or heard something, and gone to check on Shusk, the one responsible for the power surge had likely been waiting in here. Burr had likely blundered in, not expecting trouble, and got a dart in his neck for his trouble.

It hadn't been flawless, but it had worked, still had Shusk not isolated the main reactor, the whole ship might have blown.

As the alien had said…it was sloppy.

Jas pursed his lips.

Whoever had done this was no professional, but they had some knowledge.

He had a strong suspicion of just who had done it, and he was not alone.

He and Val looked at each other.

Both nodded grimly.

The spray was taking effect surprisingly fast, Shusk's dark eyes already looked clearer, the alien stumbled to his feet; Val came to his side to steady him.

"Can you get us going again?" she asked, "Can you get main power online?"

The little alien nodded.

"Yeah," he said in a dreamy voice, "Just…just give me a moment."

Jas' hand tightened around the grip of his lightsaber.

They might not have a moment.

He pulled out his comlink.

"Tessa," he asked, "Is Alric still up there with you?"

"No," the comm officer called back, "he said he went to go check in Vess, why?"

Val cursed under her breath.

Jas snarled angrily.

The pieces were starting to fall into place.

He did not like what they were showing him.

"Tessa disable that jamming field that he helped you set up, I don't think it is a simply jamming signal. We are going to disconnect the beacon from here. Shusk is up and around now, we are going to try and get things up and running."

"Jas, this is Coop," the Captain's voice filled the comlink.

"What is going on?"

Jas Dar Bynn did not have time to respond. It was at that moment that they all got an answer to what exactly was going on.

…A distant scream…

…A little girl's scream…

…Vess's scream.

Jas was moving in seconds, Val right behind him.

"Damn it," he spat.

Damn it all to hell!"


	17. Loose Ends

**Chapter 17: Loose End**

"**Jas? What is going on back there? Jas?"**

Jas Dar Bynn cursed under his breath.

_They didn't have time!_

"**LOCK IT DOWN!"** he screamed into his comlink, "Coop, it's Alric; you have to lock down the escape pods, do it now. **DO IT NOW!"**

"**The pods? I don't understand? Why…?"**

"**JUST DO IT! FAST!"**

"Where are we going?" Val shouted, her panic shone like a beacon through the Force, she had it under control, but the look in her eyes told the tale.

"Which way?" she demanded.

"**Which way?!"**

He pointed to a walkway leading up, taking them back across the cargo bay.

The Security Chief took off like a blaster bolt, moving far faster than most humans could manage.

Still…Jas feared it would not be enough.

He could hear the little girl screaming. It was more than enough to keep him going, but…he feared it would still be too late.

_Damn it, we are going to slow,_ he thought angrily.

_They're going to get away!_

_The Coop's Folly_ had four escape pods on its top deck, pods that automatically prepped for launch if there was any power issue or systems failure with the ship. It was a safety function that Randa Halcyon had built in when she had rebuilt the freighter.

It was one of only two ways off the Folly during flight; the second way was the shuttle that was just above the engine compartment. A shuttle that was currently non-functional, its engines and hyperdrive had not been installed yet. Randa had meant to get it up and running with the funds they had made from this run.

_Lucky us;_ thought Jas, which left only the pods, which _**were**_ up and running.

If Alric made it to one with Vess…?

No, he would not make it.

They would not let him.

"Main power is still offline, Jas," Coop said over the comlink, I can't trigger the lockdown until it is restored. What's Shusk's status? Can he help us?"

"He already is," Jas said, "I got him up and working, he should have power restored in a few minutes. We're going to need it."

Jas frowned.

"Coop, I think Alric might have used our comm system to send a message. I think the jamming field he set up might be just another beacon. We're likely going to have company real soon."

"You sure?" Coop asked.

"It is the only thing that makes sense."

Jas hated to think like that, but he suspected that it was true.

It **was** the only thing that made sense. They were literally in the middle of nowhere, taking an escape pod made no sense, unless you had a ship waiting to take you away.

Coop cursed loudly, Jas could hear him shouting orders to Tessa and Figgy on the bridge.

Not good, Jas thought.

Not good at all.

"It's all my fault," Val muttered, "If I hadn't…"

"Blame yourself later," Jas advised, "Right now we have to worry about Vess."

The woman nodded grimly,

They…

"DUCK!"

Jas felt the Force shift…a warning.

Too late.

He found himself yanked backward.

TINK! TINK! TINK!

He had not seen the boy hiding in the shadows, his hand tightly around Vess' mouth.

Alric's dart launcher spat at them, poison tipped projectiles struck the bulk head, mere millimeters from where Jas' head had been seconds earlier

"Damn," Jas gasped.

Val had pulled him back got him to safety just in time.

Realizing he had missed the boy dragged his hostage on. Vess was able to get his hand away from her mouth and screamed anew.

"**VAL HELP!" VAAAAAAAL!"**

Jas found himself eye to eye with Char Valenthyne. The woman had grabbed him at the last minute, pulled him back, out of the line of fire.

They had spun around and were now in each other's arms.

He found himself staring into the woman's bright green eyes, they almost seemed to glow in the dim emergency lights; her breath was warm on his face.

Despite the danger of the situation he felt his cheeks warm, he…he had rarely been this close to a woman.

She was breathing hard, their noses were almost touching.

"Are you okay," she asked, "Were you hit?"

"No," Jas said quickly, "They missed."

"Good," she said pushing him back.

It was at that moment that they heard Vess scream again.

"**STOP! PLEASE! LEMME GO! PLEASE! LEMME GO!"**

The two did not hesitate.

"We got to move," they said in unison.

They split apart and resumed their pursuit following the girl's screams. They were still moving quickly, but caution had slowed them quite a bit.

Who knew what tricks Alric had up his sleeve?

Jas cursed again.

"Damn it," he growled.

They had suspected that they had a traitor on board.

He should have known.

He should have guessed.

His comlink crackled.

"Cap'n, its Shusk."

"I read you Shusk," Coop responded, "Glad to hear your voice, you okay?"

"I'll need to see a medical droid when this is over, but right now…I'm fine. Jas did something to me, got me back in the game."

Jas did not bother to clarify, now was not the time.

Shusk had a concussion, and who knew what else. Jas had used the Force to lessen the effects of the Chandra Fan's injuries. It would wear off in a few hours, but for now the little engineer's head was clear, his reactions sharp.

He would need that if they were going to get out of here.

"Talk to me," Coop said to him, "Give me good news."

"I've reconnected the reactor," Shusk informed him, "the feedback from the comm system was isolated in the secondary systems. You should have engines and hyperdrive in a few minutes."

""We don't have a few minutes," Jas said jumping in on the conversation, "Alric has Vess and he is heading for the escape pods, we have to lock them down!"

"I'll see if I can hurry the power up," the engineer said, "In the meantime, don't let the Hutt spawn get away."

"Keep him on **this** ship!"

Jas shook his head.

That was easier said than done.

They could see the emergency lights flashing up ahead. A low recorded voice came over the loud speaker, informing them to make for the nearest escape pod.

Jas again felt a disturbance in the Force.

He put up his hand, stopping Val's advance, before she could speak, ask him what was wrong, he was moving. He was pushing the woman against the bulkhead.

Blaster fire rang out, the shots were wild, unfocused, but enough to bring the two to a stop.

Vess screamed again.

"**Don't hurt them! Please!"**

"**Shut up you little..."**

More blaster fire, Alric was keeping them back, even as wild as they were, in such close quarters, he did not need to aim all that much.

Jas' eyes narrowed.

They had no more time for games.

This ends now.

_**SNAP-HISS!**_

Jas ignited his lightsaber, the darkened corridor filled with violet light. He brought the blade up, holding it in a classic Shien guard. He would be able to parry any shots, but in such close quarter it would be dangerous, he would not be able to control where the ricochet went.

He had no desire to hurt Vess, if she got caught in the crossfire?

"Damn it," Jas hissed under his breath.

_Damn it all to hell!_

He could just make out Alric; the young man had his arm around Vess' throat, pulling her back, pulling her towards one of the escape pods. His face was slick with sweat, his eyes wild and angry.

He was trying to reach the control panel for the nearest pod, he was almost there, but Vess' struggles kept him back.

He had not managed to reach it…yet, praise the Force, but even though the girl's struggles had slowed him, it would not be long.

They needed to slow him down.

They needed to distract him.

"ALRIC! STOP!" Val shouted angrily, she brought up her blaster, training on her subordinate's, former subordinate's, face.

Val's gaze was cold as ice, her blaster did not waver.

"Don't you take another step," she called out, "that is a _**direct **_order!"

The boy's response was not one that Val likely wanted to hear.

He laughed.

"I don't take orders from you, Chief. I never truly did!"

"Alric…stop," Vess coughed, "You…you're **hurting** me!"

Hearing the girl's voice almost made Jas and Val leap out and rush the boy. Alric's blaster remained pointed towards them, and all the while his arm remained tightly wrapped around Vess' neck.

If they were not careful, he might strangle the poor girl.

_Not going to happen_, Jas thought.

_It. Will. Not._

"How could you do this," Val demanded, "You were training to be a sworn protector! How could you even think of betraying your brothers and sisters?"

"You think I want to end up like you, Chief? You think I want to let some doctor strip away all my hopes and dreams? You think I want to spend my life programmed like some off-worlder machine?"

"It is the job we agreed to do, to serve our lords and ladies, to serve the laws of Bantoon," she replied, "There is no shame in it."

"The law," he spat, "I can't believe the daughter of Chin and Tara Valenthyne is lecturing me about the law."

Jas did not know what the boy was talking about, but from the look on the Security Chief's face she did.

Val's eyes narrowed.

"Leave them out of this!"

Why should I? You're the one betraying their memory, and you couldn't even get that right."

Alric snarled like an angry beast.

"This isn't right," the boy spat angrily, "This isn't the way it was supposed to be."

"And just how was it supposed to be, traitor?" Val demanded.

If he took exception to Val calling him a traitor he did not show it.

In fact, it sounded like he had not heard her at all.

"Queen Adira and High General Lyron will reward me well for my work here," he said, "Annara had to be silenced, she was threatening the progress of our world, she…"

The boy cursed.

"Stop struggling you little wretch," he snarled.

Jas heard the sound of the girl choking, gasping for breath.

He almost leapt forward, in that moment all he wanted was to throttle the boy.

The scum, Jas thought, the low life scum!

He deserved to suffer.

At the back of his mind he could feel it, the shadow, oily and hungry.

He could feel its gentle touch, the lightest of caresses.

_You need power_, it seemed to say, _give in…_

_Give in and you will have all the power you could ever need._

Jas swallowed hard, it was tempting, more than tempting.

He glanced over at Val, wondering what he should do, all he had to do was let go and Alric would die screaming, they could save Vess, and…

All it took was one look at the Security Chief; all it took was the briefest of touches through the Force.

Char Valenthyne did not need the darkness to accomplish her goal; she had her training and her skill.

It was her bravery, her cold competency that helped him resist, helped him push both his anger and the darkness back.

Finally, he was back in control.

In that moment, Jas felt ashamed, how easy he had been tempted.

He was grateful that Val had not seen that. All of her focus was on Alric.

_They needed to stop the boy, now._

Val took a deep breath. Jas could feel her worry and anger, but she had it clamped down, held in check by her iron will.

He envied her a bit in that moment.

If only he had such control.

He tried not to think about it, to stay on mission, for all their sakes.

He could not afford to let himself get distracted.

He needed to do this for Vess.

Val dared a quick peek out, seeing her subordinate, and the young queen she had sworn to protect.

She gave him an evil glare, if looks could kill, the boy would have been nothing but a pile of ash.

"I'm guessing that the men assigned to watch you and Vess when you were at the Academy didn't die on accident did they?"

Her frowned deepened.

"Damn you boy," she said, "Damn you."

Alric snorted.

"They were my first real kill," he said with a hint of pride, "Unfortunate, but necessary. The instructors that administer the system would have been proud."

Val sneered; she had not meant to inspire pride in the boy. Two of her friends had died.

She would likely have wished to avenge them, but would not risk it as long as her queen was in danger.

"And Lord Rudo," she continued, "I'm guessing that it was not blind luck that he found our safe house near the spaceport?"

"The man was a fool," Alric responded, "All he had to do was take us into custody. I got Vess out of the safe house and into the open for him…"

The boy shook his head.

"He played his part too well. If the fool hadn't hit me, I would have made sure that Vess wouldn't have had a chance to escape; we never would have gotten out of that alley. You should have returned too late."

He hissed angrily.

"This is all your fault, Jedi," he growled, "Why did you have to stick your nose where it wasn't wanted! This should have been over and days ago."

"And what about your queen, Alric," Jas asked, "Vess' mother, did you not swear an oath to serve her? Isn't that what a sworn protector is supposed to do?"

Yeah," Val added, "How much is a sworn protector worth these days? How much did it cost to buy you away from your duty?"

The boy laughed again.

"I wouldn't have been able to, not if I had a chance to go through the system, isn't that right Val?"

"We should never have allowed you close to Vess," she hissed back, "Never."

"Your failure," he said with a sneer, "Not mine."

"Didn't you choose to become a protector," Jas asked, once again trying to keep him talking, to make him forget about running.

"I never had much of a choice," he answered, "What is a third born son to do? I would never inherit my family's fortune. My sisters and their husbands would see to that.

The bitterness and anger radiated off of the boy, he probably had thought this the only way to get out of the choice he had made.

So very foolish, Jas thought.

He threw away any chance he had at a future. He simply had not realized it yet.

"I needed something for me," Alric continued, "I needed a title of my own, and once I deliver Vess, I'll have it."

Jas frowned, he was shocked that he had not sensed the greed and arrogance in the boy, but then again, he had had other things on his mind.

Vess had distracted him, or rather, her destiny had.

The girl might not realize it now, but one day, her future would shine bright enough to even eclipse a star, her potential, it was near limitless.

Provided she survived the next few moments of course.

Speaking of which…

"How the power looking Shusk," he heard Coop say over the comlink, "We need to get out of here."

"I'm working on it captain, I need more time."

Jas glanced across his blade at Alric; again the boy was starting to move towards the escape pods again.

_I've got to keep him talking,_ he realized, _give Shusk a chance to finish._

Vess' life depends on it.

"All this for a title," Jas asked, "Betrayed your duty, helped murder your leaders, all so that you could have some title before your name?"

Jas took a step forward.

"Not another step, Jedi," Alric warned, his blaster now pressed to Vess' temple, the little girl whimpered as her captor smiled.

Jas stopped, not wanting to provoke, but at the same time to make sure that the boy stayed exactly where he was.

_Come on, Shusk_, he thought.

_Hurry up!_

"I know how good you are with that sword," Alric growled, "Let's not do something we will both regret, huh?"

The boy shook his head.

"It is not simply about a title. I wanted _a life_. I wanted to be more than some noble's shield."

Val hissed; she kept her blaster raised and pointed at her target.

"A protector's life is an honorable one," she said, "Sacrifice, duty, courage; don't those mean anything to you?

"Oh Chief," the boy chuckled, "How little you know, how little you understand."

He shook his head.

"Do you even remember who you were before the system? Don't you know what you gave up to become what you are now?"

"It was _**my**_ choice."

"Are you _certain_ of that? How much do you remember of your time training to become a protector? The system takes away so much, I'm guessing that you don't even remember making the choice, only that your instructors told you that you did."

He sneered at her.

"Look at you, the great Char Valenthyne. If it wasn't for this Jedi interfering you would be dead right now. You would have shot yourself like a good little slave when you realized your queen was dead."

The boy tightened his grip around Vess' neck, making her gasp.

"YOU SHOULDN"T EVEN BE HERE!" he snarled, "You should be **dead**, and I should be back home right now being hailed as a hero by the new queen and her husband, but no, this whole plan has been one annoyance after another, but finally…finally; things are working out. I'm finally going to get what I deserve. What I was promised."

Alric sighed, anger radiated off him like heat from a star.

"I'm so tired of this game, Chief. It is time for me to end it."

"There is nowhere to go," Jas said glaring at the boy from behind his blade.

"You're trapped here."

"My ride is on the way," he answered. "I have to admit, the comm relay on this ship is quite good, close to top of the line."

He laughed coldly.

"I can see why your captain is so proud of it."

Val raised her blaster, centering on Alric's face, he pulled Vess' closer to him, using her as a shield.

"You're not leaving," she growled.

"YOU. ARE. NOT."

Alric took a step back, his grip on Vess never loosening.

He glared at his former superior.

"This is the way it's going to work, chief," he began, "Vess and I are leaving; the ship that is coming is going to pick us up and take us back to Bantoon.

"You are not going to try and stop it. You are not going to do anything against the crown. The Matriarchy has likely already voted Queen Adira the lady protector of the princess by now. If you cause the crown any trouble then this little girl will suffer. You will go into exile like a good soldier, if you don't Vess will suffer. Behave yourself and you just might be invited to come home one day, but if the new queen hears even a whisper of you hatching plots, of speaking out against the new regime, Vess will suffer."

Val growled, her blaster did not move, but Jas could see her struggling, wanting so bad to take the shot but fearing for the girl's safety.

Jas thought of trying a mind trick on him, but when he reached out with the Force all he felt was cold determination from the boy, determination and anger.

Jas frowned.

The Force would not aid him, not here.

Alric laughed again.

"Now if you will both excuse me, I have a hero's welcome waiting back home. Do try to have a good day now."

He started to back up again, dragging Vess behind him.

They were out of time.

Violence and the Force would not work, but that did not mean that Jas was helpless.

He still had his voice, and that could be a potent weapon if used correctly.

In that moment, he knew exactly what to say.

He just hoped the boy would listen.

"A hero's welcome," he scoffed, "Unlikely, boy, very unlikely."

Jas lowered his lightsaber, he switched off the blade.

"You leave this ship, your dead. That is the only reward you will get."

Alric stopped; he glared at Jas and Val.

"You know nothing, Jedi," he hissed, "I'm going to have everything that I was promised."

Jas shook his head.

"Oh I'm sure they promised you a lot, anything that you could dream of, provided you gave them what they want."

Jas sighed.

"It is all bantha poodoo of course."

He looked over at Val.

"You know a thing or two about Bantoon politics don't you, chief? Tell me, what happens when a coup is finished, when the new regime is fully in place. What happens to all those hired hands that helped bring it into fruition, what is their final reward?"

Val did not lower her blaster, but she did smile.

Good girl, Jas thought.

She had picked up on what he had in mind.

Now they just had to sell the story.

"The final reward to such people is death, Not a Jedi," she said dryly, "Such people are dangerous, they are loose ends that know far too much about what really happened, and where all the bodies are buried."

Val's smile turned nasty.

"You're not the hero in this story, Alric; you are just a loose end, a big one.

"Lord Lyron would not hesitate to silence you."

"Liar," the boy spat back, "I'm a member of the royal family!"

"So was the queen," Val reminded him, "So is Vess, you think that the new High General will want Vess around? Sure she could legitimize his rule, he could play the good lord protector, but that would be too risky. If Vess ever escaped, she would be a threat to his crown, and when she finally comes of age, she will be an even bigger threat."

Val shook her head.

"If there is a ship coming it will not be to rescue you. It will be to kill you and Vess, to take care of two very big loose ends."

Alric had stopped, he still had his blaster pointed at Vess, but his grip had loosened, Vess' face was not as red as it had been a few moments before.

Alric swallowed hard.

Jas could feel his emotions, he was thinking about what he had been told, he did not wish to, but he was thinking about what she said.

The boy was not stupid, at least not THAT stupid.

He could see what Val was getting at.

"General Lyron would not do that to me," he insisted, "I'm one of Queen Adira's favorites. He wouldn't dare."

"I doubt he will even tell her," Jas said dismissively, "He will likely say that you died on the same ship as Vess and her mother, it will all be very sad, I'm sure."

"Very sad," Val added, "But in the end it will open up so many doors, with Vess gone, any children born of Lyron and Adira will be the heirs to the throne. They would not risk those heirs by keeping a traitorous noble around them."

Val sneered at him.

"You played your part well, Alric, too well.

"Now it is time to get rid of you."

"No," Alric said shaking his head, "No…you are lying. You are trying to trick me."

"We're offering you a chance to live," Jas informed him, "Let the girl go, and I promise here and now that we will drop you off on some nice populated planet; the kind of place that you can build a new life for yourself. Trust me, boy, there is not thing waiting for you back on Bantoon but death."

"Listen to him, Alric," Val said, "You know that he is right. You know how this is going to end."

Alric was sweating buckets now, he still had Vess in his grip, but she was no longer crying out, no longer struggling to breathe.

The boy looked like he was in shock.

"This can't be," he said, "I did everything they asked. I'm…I'm a hero. They are going to make me a lord."

"Last chance, boy," Jas said, "Let Vess go and drop your blaster."

Alric looked back and forth, Jas had lowered his lightsaber, but Val still had her blaster pointed.

"I'm a hero," Alric repeated, "They can't do this. They…"

Something hummed overhead, the emergency lights shut off as main lights switched back on.

Shusk had managed to restore main power, and then…

…all hell broke loose!

Vess bit Alric; she sank her teeth deep into his hand.

The boy cried out as he lost his grip

"YOOOOU LITTLE! I'LL…"

He never got the chance to finish.

Vess kneed him between the legs…HARD!

He gasped and staggered back.

"FOR MY MOTHER!" the girl shouted.

Gurgling, barely able to stand up, Alric raised his blaster.

Jas moved.

He ignited his blade.

He reached out with the Force.

As he pulled Vess behind him, he yanked the blaster from the boy's hand.

His lightsaber caught the weapon, slicing it in two.

PEW!

PEW!

Val's blaster fired.

A bolt caught Alric in the shoulder, spinning him around, he somehow managed to stay on his feet and stagger into the control panel of the escape pods.

The door to one hissed open.

The boy fell inside.

"NOOOO!" Val screamed.

"DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY!"

Jas tried to stop him, but it was too late, the door to the pod slid shut, but not before the boy's final words rang out.

"I'll come back for you, Val," he shouted, "This isn't over!"

The pod hissed as the door sealed. A loud bang could be heard from the other side, the release jets firing.

Jas ran to the window in time to see the pod fly away.

Jas Dar Bynn took a deep breath.

It was over.

He turned around to see Val hugging Vess, the little girl was sobbing in her arms.

"Is he okay," he asked, "Did he hurt her?"

Vess stepped away from her protector, she met Jas' gaze with her teary blue eyes.

"Mister Jas," she sobbed and ran to him, wrapping her skinny arms around his waist.

Jas stood still, not sure what to do.

He just let her hug him, it did no harm.

"It…um…it is okay, kid," he said, "You're safe now."

She stepped away, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Thank you," she said, "God's bless you, both of you."

"Jas, this is Cooper, please respond?"

Jas picked up his comlink.

"Jas here, go ahead, captain?"

"We detected a pod launch, is Vess?"

"She is still here, Alric took the pod. Maybe we can tractor it in, bring it back.

"No can do, old buddy," Coop said, "We got company."

Jas lead the way, Vess and Val followed in his wake.

He was sure he knew what ship had caught up with them.

He just hoped that they still had time to escape.

They were not out of this yet.

IOI

They arrived on the bridge in time to see the Scorekeeper's Mark approaching, the hammerhead class corvette was moving quickly, on an intercept vector.

Jas frowned as he saw the maneuvering thrusters of an escape pod in the distance.

Alric heading for what he thought was his rescue.

Poor fool, Jas thought.

Poor, dumb fool.

Coop stared at the approaching ship, preparing to bring them about.

"Figgy do we have an escape route, yet?" he asked.

"Coming through now, captain," the Bit promised, "We will be go for light speed in twenty seconds."

Tessa looked up from her console. She glared at the retreating escape pod.

"I can't believe that little murglak is going to get away with this," she hissed.

Jas shook his head.

"Don't worry," he said.

"He won't."

As they watched, the Scorekeeper's Mark turned slightly, directing its nose at the approaching pod.

The corvette's forward batteries fired.

The pod was hit and began to spin.

Two more shots and it was over.

The pod vanished in a flash of light and wreckage.

Jas winced, he had felt Alric's final moments through the Force; a mixture of betrayal, anger and fear.

Val sneered as she watched the pod vanish.

"There is your reward, traitor," she spat.

"Enjoy it."

"What was that?" Figgy asked.

Jas turned, giving the Bith a sad look.

"A loose end being tied up, Figgy," he said, "Nothing more."

"We can't do anything for him now," Coop said checking his instruments and bringing the Folly about.

The pod was gone, and now the Mark was closing in on them.

They did not have much time.

"Are we ready to get out of here?" Coop asked.

Figgy nodded.

"Light speed in three, two one…"

Coop pulled the handle.

The stars stretched as the Coop's Folly make the jump into hyperspace, and just like that…

They were gone.

Safe.

It was over.


	18. Past and Future

**A/N: Little mature this chapter, please be warned.**

**DG**

**Chapter 18: Past and Future**

"Mind if I join you?"

Jas looked up and shook his head no. He had been sitting in the galley drinking caf; getting ready to go back to his quarters for the evening. He had just finished his shift on the bridge and was looking forward to a bit of rest.

Char Valenthyne stood before him; a tired expression on her face, the security chief had been on the bridge before he had left. In fact, she had been there for some time. She had been working with Tessa, trying to get a secure signal out to the Bann woman's contact on Alderaan.

If she was now here, Jas would guess she had been successful, hopefully everything was proceeding smoothly now. This trip had been chaotic from the start.

It would be nice to think that things were finally starting to go their way.

Val sighed heavily and stretched, arching her back before she sat down. She had finally removed her coat and the various weapons she had kept hidden there. For the first time since they had met, Jas could sense more than suspicion and hostility from the young Security Chief. It had taken Alric's betrayal to do it, but it seemed that Val had finally come to realize she had little to fear of The Coop's Folly and her crew.

Jas looked away politely, the shirt Val wore was skin tight, as were her leggings, and showed off her lovely figure. He had been taught long ago to behave like a gentlemen, those lessons remained even if he was far from the temple where he had learned them.

It was not polite to gawk and someone, no matter what they looked like. Besides, he had no desire for Val to take offense. She was more than skilled to make him answer for any slight if he did.

The young woman took the seat across from him, stretching out her long legs, and rubbing her temples with her forefingers.

She gave him a weary look.

"I don't suppose you have anything to drink here, do you?"

He smiled, and gestured to the pot sitting in front of them. Val picked it up and sniffed the contents.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Caf," he answered, "It isn't really that good, but it serves its purpose."

He laughed lightly.

"Maybe when we get paid for this run, we can purchase some of the good stuff. I'm willing to give up a little bit of profits for it."

Val smiled and pulled a small flask out of one of her pockets. She poured some into a mug before filling it was caf. He could not tell what it was, but it was strong, he could smell it from across the table.

"Would you like some," she asked holding up the flask, "As far as liquors go it is a little sharp but it does the trick."

Jas smiled at her.

"Should you be drinking on the job, Chief Valenthyne?"

"Vess is sleeping in her quarters, the lock is scrambled, and only I have the code. She is safe as possible, and besides."

Val grinned.

"I think it is safe to say that your crew is no threat to my lady. You've earned my trust."

Her comment made him smile.

At least something good had come out of all they had gone through.

IOI

The crew had grown to love the little queen, in the days since the incident with Alric she had been free to move about the ship and had won the hearts of all. She had visited Shusk in the med bay, even brought him food so that he could keep up his strength. She has sat with Figgy when he had played cards with Tessa and Jas.

The memory of seeing the girl and the Bith conspiratorially whispering to each other still amused him. He was not sure what the value of teaching a future queen how to cheat at cards was, but Vess seemed to enjoy the lessons.

Even Burr had warmed up to her, thought he was still smarting about the fact that Alric had managed to get the drop on him. The former trooper had given the girl a small vibro-knife to keep on her person, and showed her what to do if someone grabbed her from behind.

Val really hadn't liked that, but accepted her new queen's desire to learn that particular skill.

She would have preferred the girl keep her innocence a bit longer than what she had, but the Security Chief was just realistic enough to recognize that that might not be possible.

We all have to grow up some time, Jas thought morosely.

It was a shame that Vess had needed to do that so soon.

As for Val, she had settled into her job as the young queen's protector, trying to teach the girl everything she would likely need to know as she began the preparations for her new life.

It would not be an easy road for the child to walk, but Jas thought she was ready.

She was far stronger than she looked, and the Force was with her, she may not have been able to feel it, but it was there.

She would survive the trials that were coming, he was sure of it.

Vess would be a queen one day, he had foreseen it. In the meantime, she was still just a little girl.

Hopefully, she would get the chance to enjoy that.

IOI

He took the flask with a grateful nod and added some to his mug. The first sip burned his throat, but he was more careful with the second, letting the liquor sit on his tongue for a bit. It was strong yes, but also had a sweetness that made the bitter caf a bit more bearable.

He added a bit more before returning the flask to its owner; he toasted the young lady before taking another drink.

"We should reach Alderaan in about ten hours," he informed her, "Provided there are no more surprises."

"Good," she replied, "Hopefully, we can avoid any more trouble. Vess doesn't deserve what has happened to her."

"She isn't the only one," Jas said.

Val looked up at him, turning over what he had said in her head.

Finally she had smiled.

"To safe arrivals then," she said raising her mug.

"Yeah," he agreed raising his.

"And no more surprises."

He prayed to the Force that that be true.

Surely they had endured enough already; that did not mean that they did not have to be careful.

There were still enemies out there…looking for them.

Hopefully, they would be able to evade them.

He closed his eyes and reached out with the Force, sensing the Folly and the rest of the crew. Shusk had done a remarkable job getting them back under way, everything flowed seamlessly through the Force.

You could say what you wanted about their ship, but the one thing you couldn't say was that it was not capable of doing what was needed.

It had what was needed to get them where they needed to go.

Now they just had to do it, which was easier said than done.

The Coop's Folly continued its round about path to the Alderaan system. Despite the removal of the traitor Alric, they were not completely out of danger yet. It was likely that at least one Red Eclipse vessel was watching the hyper lanes between Alderaan and Bantoon. The course set by the Folly should have been enough to throw off any further pursuit, or attempt at an ambush.

The result being that they would be arriving a few days later than they would have normally, but that could not be helped.

It was better to reach their destination in one piece, even if progress was extremely slow.

Jas frowned as he regarded Val. Despite her attempt to appear relaxed, it was clear that the security chief was anything but, he could sense the tension in her through the Force, and the rigidness of her posture.

He decided to see if he could help.

"I sense your frustration," he said, "Is everything alright?"

Val chuckled at that question.

"Depends on your definition of _alright_," she replied, "Your comm-officer was finally able to get me a secure line to Lady Dorma on Alderaan."

"Lady Dorma," he asked, "Is that the woman that agreed to shelter Vess for your queen?"

The Security Chief nodded.

"Yeah," she said, "Despite recent events, Lady Dorma remains committed to my lady's original plan. She has agreed to both foster and protect Vess."

Val smiled sadly.

"At least one thing about the plan went the way it was supposed to."

"I see," Jas replied, not really sure if he did, but it sounded like something that she needed to hear.

"But?"

She chuckled again.

"That wasn't the _**only**_ thing that the Lady Dorma told me. She has received a message from home, from members of her family still serving in the matriarchy on Bantoon."

Val shook her head.

"According to the media on my world, Queen Annara and her family are missing and presumed dead. My lady was apparently on her way to a trade summit on Coruscant when all contact with her ship was lost."

A fatalistic laugh escaped the Security chief.

"In response to this **terrible** loss, Lady Adira has stepped forward and claimed the title of lady protector, not queen, not yet, at least until the queen's whereabouts have been determined. Her husband has assumed the title of acting High General, and both have _**promised**_ the people that the queen and her family will be found; that ships are even now searching for their missing monarch and her family."

Jas frowned.

"The last part isn't a lie, at least," he said, "Though I'm not sure how your people would respond if they knew the search parties looking for their queen were slavers in the employ of the mining guild and the new would-be rulers of your world."

"The matriarchy wouldn't be happy, that is for sure," Val agreed, "Sadly, I'm fairly sure that even now Lord Lyron is greasing all the necessary palms, credits are likely flowing like water now, as the new Queen and her high general consolidate their grip on my world."

Val shook her head again.

"Congratulations, Mister Jas, you are currently sitting with a dead woman, at least that is what my people think."

"That may be the best, for now," Jas countered, "If you are dead, it is likely that no one will be looking for you."

"True," she agreed, "But it also means that neither Vess nor I can return home, not while Adira is in power."

The Security chief sighed heavily.

"It is safe to say that Vess and I are now officially in exile. Our lives would be forfeit if we tried to return."

Jas frowned, not an easy thing to accept, knowing that everything you had known was now gone.

He could relate.

"Are you going to tell her?"

"I'll have to…eventually," Val said shaking her head, "It is a good thing that she is stronger than she looks. A week ago I might have tried to hide the truth from her."

"She has proven her strength," Jas agreed, once she had escaped from Alric she had been fine, after a brief moment of tears.

The Force had not been wrong about that one, he thought, Vess maybe young, but beneath her child's form is a will of pure durasteel.

_She will find a way back._

_I'm sure of it._

He looked at Val, she was also holding it together, but he feared that despair might cloud her judgment, she could not afford that, not right now.

"What are you going to say, when the time comes?"

"I…I don't know. I don't think that I should start with the fact that her aunt and uncle have officially betrayed her and usurped her throne. That two of the people that should have loved her have decided it is better that both she and her parents were dead."

"I wouldn't start with that, no," Jas responded dryly.

She shot him a dirty look, but it was gone almost as soon as it had appeared.

Humor could be a defense sometimes, Chief Valenthyne understood that.

"Is there no one you can contact on Bantoon?" he asked, "Someone who could help you get the truth out?"

"There are a few nobles who would listen, but for the moment they can't afford to speak _**too**_ loudly. As I told you earlier, High General Lyron is very popular with the military. No one is going to risk speaking out of turn, not with Lyron so close to the throne. No one will risk being accused of treason, not when things are moving so fast. The Matriarchy is going to be in chaos for months."

"So…what are you going to do?" Jas inquired.

The woman smiled.

"Wait…for now, as much as I would like to return home immediately and declare Vess as the new queen, I have to face the fact that she would not survive such an attempt. She is still a child, after all, and a child on a throne always has a target on her back. Plus, she has little support from the more militant members of the matriarchy. Then there is the fact that the new High general is no fool. I would not put it past Lord Lyron to have arrested anyone who might still support Annara and her rightful heir."

Jas pursed his lips.

It was not an easy road for the two Bann. The intrigue and power games of their homeworld would not be easily overcome, not until Vess came of age.

Until then, the two would need to wait. They would need shelter.

"So you will need to remain on Alderaan?"

"As I said, for now."

Val gulped down the last of her caf and wiped her mouth, her brow furrowing with thought.

"I can't afford to let the people forget about Vess. Lyron will no doubt push his agenda forward, using his wife as his puppet. Dorma and I will need to establish contact with anyone we can in the matriarchy. We will need support back home to keep Vess' claim alive, we're also going to need allies, people with skill and power, people that we can trust."

It was at that moment that she turned to Jas, her expression both cold and serious.

"We could use your help, Mister Jas," she said, "Your good in a fight, and I've seen what you can do. Your skill with the Force would be a great asset in helping Vess regain her place."

Her offer surprised him, considering that only a few days ago she had had a blaster pointed at his head, and had been more than ready to pull the firing stud.

"You're actually trying to recruit me?" he asked.

"Why not, Not a Jedi," she said with an amused smirk, "Vess likes you, and you've certainly proven your skills to me."

She leaned in closer.

"Not to take away from what you are doing now, but are those skills of yours really getting used aboard this ship? If you come with us you would be fighting the good fight, helping to right a terrible injustice, and put Bantoon's rightful ruler back on her throne. Isn't that what you Jedi types are supposed to be, defenders of peace and justice?"

Jas nodded, what Val was saying was true, and he would be lying if he said he did not feel the appeal of what she was asking.

To fight for a worthy cause, he had seen what the two were up against, and besides, the Force had brought them together.

Maybe this…was the reason why.

If he did choose to go with Val and Vess, he would get to be what he should have been, what he would have become had he not been aboard that transport and lost all those years ago. He would be able to do a lot to advance Vess' cause. The Force was a powerful ally, and it would be good to fight for a righteous cause…

…but…that was also the problem.

His expression turned sad.

"I'm flattered by your offer, Val," he said, "But I fear that I must decline. If I was to go with you, I would not only bring my skills to your cause, but also all the enemies I've made as well. I would not do that to your queen, she has enough to face already."

His refusal made her frown, but it had also made her curious.

"Enemies," she said, "What type of enemies?"

"The **dangerous** kind," he answered, "Not the kind of people that Vess wants interfering in her business."

"I see," Val responded, he could sense her disappointment, and he was sorry.

Yet, there was nothing that he could do about it.

It was safer for the both of them if he stayed away.

"Can I ask what you did? What happened? Did you build an army and attack the heart of the Republic?"

Jas gave her a saucy grin.

"Only one of their main ship production worlds, and caused several million credits worth of damage when I did."

Val blinked, likely trying to figure out if he was joking or not, when she saw that he did not laugh, she knew that he was telling her the truth.

"You don't seem the type to do something like that? I'm guessing there is more to the story."

Yeah, but I doubt you want to hear it. It is a bit of a tale and its getting late."

She smiled at him again.

"I asked didn't I? Go ahead, please, I won't pass any judgment."

He leaned back and sighed.

_Did he really want to do this?_

_It wasn't like anyone could do anything about it now._

Still, she had asked.

He sighed.

"We might need some more of whatever it is you got in that flask."

She smirked.

"Don't worry," she promised, "I have another."

That realization made him laugh

The young woman he was sitting with was far from the Chief Valenthyne he had come to know since leaving Bantoon, still…after everything that had happened…

He may not have owed her anything, but that did not mean it wouldn't be good to finally speak about what had happened.

"Okay," he said leaning back in his chair.

"Don't say that I didn't warn you."

He began his tale, starting with the events of a decade ago.

Val poured them both fresh drinks.

There was a lot to tell.

IOI

"And that is it?"

He nodded, his head buzzing from the liquor that the two of them had been drinking, and the memory of past events.

The two flasks sat empty on the table, both he and the security chief were not as sober as they had been at the start of the tale.

He sighed, and took a deep breath.

It would have been easy to burn the alcohol from his system, the Force was more than capable of that, but he chose not to.

In that moment, he was too lost in the past; the faces of friends and enemies swam up and reminded him of everything that he had been and what he would never be. Both his victories and his losses were there, reminding him of what he had become, and what might still be possible…

…but above all that was Val, Security Chief Char Valenthyne.

She looked upon him with slightly glazed but sympathetic eyes.

He smiled.

He sensed no pity, he was grateful for that.

He didn't need pity, nor did he want it.

He was grateful for simple understanding.

"That is it," he said, his voice slightly slurred, "The short sad history of Jas Dar Bynn."

She smiled.

"Jas Dar Bynn," she said, "that is your real name?"

He nodded, forgetting for a bit that he had not used that name in almost three years.

"I needed to become someone else," he confessed, "It is still possible that the Jedi may still seek Jas Dar Bynn. He needed to go away, for the safety of those he cared about."

"Because of what happened at those shipyards? Because of what happened on Kuam?"

"Kuat," he corrected her, "And yes, because of what happened on Kuat."

She sighed and shook her head.

"Couldn't the Jedi have helped you? Couldn't you have returned to the order and explained what had happened?"

"Maybe," he said, "Of course, if I had done that, I likely would have ended up being taken before the council, and judged."

"Judged? For what?"

"For choosing to remain away from the order for so long, the Jedi do not look favorably on rogue Force users. Even if they did manage to settle matters with the Kuati, I would still have had to surrender my saber. I likely would have been sent to live the rest of my life on one of the Jedi labor combines. I would have to have spent the rest of my days as a farmer or some other form of laborer, and would be told never to use the Force again."

"But why? It was not your fault what happened? You were just a child when you were lost? As for that mess at the shipyards, it sounds like you did everything in your power to stop it."

"The council would probably acknowledge that, but at the same time…they would also see me as…contaminated, that my exposure to non-Jedi ideals made me dangerous."

"But that is not right," Val spat, "It is unfair!"

"Life rarely is," Jas shrugged.

She frowned and shook her head.

"Your order sound like a bunch of hypocrites."

"They only try to do what is right," he responded, "I don't fault them for that."

Val still looked unconvinced.

"You could have stayed with your clan? You could have stayed with the people that took you in, you could have led them?"

"I could have."

"And you left it all behind? You could have been a leader, and you chose not to be."

"It was…the smart call," he said with a sad smile, "Had I accepted…had I chosen to remain, I would have been tempted by darkness, the violence of that life would have changed me. I might have become more dangerous than Darth Revan."

He snorted trying to look at her through the bottom of his empty mug, remembering then that it was not made of glass.

Damn, he thought putting it down.

Nothing ever works right.

He looked at Val; this was the first time he had told this story to anyone. Coop knew it of course, but he had been with Jas since the beginning. Randa knew some of it, and Tessa a bit more.

Yet, this was the first time that he trusted anyone with the complete tale, and he did it because he had had too much to drink, and despite everything that had happened. He had come to trust Char Valenthyne.

He wanted her to understand.

He wanted her…to **know** him.

She leaned in closer; she reached out gently touching the back of his hand with hers.

"It is never easy is it?" she asked, "letting go, giving up everything you knew and loved?"

"No," he said, "But it is necessary…sometimes."

"Sometimes," she said her touch feather light on the back of his hand.

He was tempted to pull away, but did not, his arm had broken out in goose flesh, but he did not care."

He stared into those strange green eyes of Char Valenthyne and felt lost, sweetly slipping away.

His heart beat a little faster; he told himself it was just the drink, but…

…what if it was more?

"What did you lose Val?" he asked, 'What did becoming what you became cost you?'

She sighed.

"A hero like you won't accept me if I say anything," she replied, "I…I don't want to lose your respect."

"Never," he said turning his hand over and taking hers, giving it a warm gently squeeze.

She smiled.

"Please," he murmured, "You can tell me."

She looked away, blushing slightly.

"My parents, Chin and Tara Valenthyne were the greatest thieves on all of Bantoon. Their tales were legendary, the nobles all feared what they might lose if something they possessed caught my parents' eyes."

He felt a surge of warmth from the young woman, a sense of…love…tainted with sadness.

"They taught me everything they knew, I looked up to them, wanting to carry on their legacy. I wanted to be like them. The laws of Bantoon were nothing to us, if we wanted something we took it, and no one could stop us, no security system or guard could keep us out."

A sad smile came to Val's face.

"It was the ultimate thrill, a life of adventure, romance, and danger. Freedom without fear or guilt, I loved that life."

"So…what happened?"

She sighed heavily.

"Mom got sick, some genetic ailment that for all our technology will not die out. She was gone in a matter of months. Dad grew reckless, without her there temper his ambitions. He took risks, took more and more dangerous jobs, and then…one day…it all caught up with him."

"Was he killed?"

She shook her head no.

"He wasn't killed, but he might as well have been. He was sent to the jagged islands, the worst penal colony on Bantoon."

Val shuddered.

"He left me alone, it was just me, and my two brothers, we were all we had left."

Val took a shuddering breath and continued.

"I tried to do what my parents had done, to keep their legacy alive. My brothers were thirteen at twelve at the time, too young to join me on the job. I hooked up with a new crew, my name giving me the credentials to move with the more dangerous elements of our world. Our first job was a big one; it would have set me up for at least a year or two. We could have lived the easy life for a while."

"A job that did not go well?"

"No," she said with a frown "It did not."

"The intel about the job was bad from the beginning. The people we were robbing. They were home when we broke into their estate. Their guards fell upon us; we were both outnumbered and outgunned. We tried to escape, but we ended up getting cut off."

Val cursed under her breath.

"One of my new partners killed one of the nobles who owned the estate. Murder is one thing on Bantoon, but for a commoner to kill a noble, that is something else entirely.

"I stood trial with my partners, charged not with attempted theft but murder. Bantoon has the death penalty, and knowing that they had caught a Valenthyne was all they needed to give me the maximum sentence."

She shivered at the memory.

"There is a place on Bantoon called the garden of bones, Mister Jas. Thirty feet beneath the ocean there are rows and rows of skeletons, their feet sunk in duracrete blocks. Their bodies left to sway in the waves forever, picked clean by the fish."

Val shivered.

"I was sentenced to join them, my feet would be sunk in duracrete, and I would be dropped into the ocean to drown. I had only just turned eighteen and I was sentenced to die. My brothers would be left to fend for themselves, no parents and no big sister to look out for them. I remember weeping in my cell, begging to see them one last time, trying to come up with some way to help them."

Her tale made Jas shake his head, he could see Val in his minds eye, sitting in a cell, trying to come up with some way to help her loved ones.

It was a heartbreaking image to be sure.

"What stopped it?" Jas asked.

Val's face brightened.

"The head of the sworn protectors came to visit me the night before my execution. She offered me a chance to survive, a means to make sure that my brothers were cared for. If I gave myself to the state, swore to go through the system, then, my crimes would be pardoned, I would be a sworn protector of the matriarchy, no longer a problem for my people, but a solution.

"I take it you said yes."

She nodded a sly smirk on her face.

"I didn't want to die, but at the same time, I did not understand what was being offered, if I had I might have taken a bit more time before accepting the offer."

"The system," Jas said.

"Yeah," she said nodding, "The system."

Again she shivered.

"I have almost no memory of it, of my training. I have flashes sometimes of being strapped to a table, my body being pumped full of gene-mods, and potions designed to reinforce my loyalty to the matriarchy. There were days that I awoke in my room and not remembered my own name, where the councilors at the compound had to come and remind me of who I was."

Jas winced.

"Oh Val," he said.

She held herself, refusing to meet his gaze.

"I have nightmares about it sometimes, the system, I'm staring into a pool of swirling colored lights, and in my ear someone is whispering: Are you ready to comply, Miss Valenthyne? Are you ready to comply?"

Even saying the word made her wince.

"I remember shouting, no. I tried to resist, thinking that I could fake my way through the system, escape and return to my old life. Eventually, I stopped saying no, I didn't want to say no anymore, there was only yes. There was no resistance, I no longer wanted to resisted. All I wanted to do was say yes, yes, my lord, yes my mistress; Char Valenthyne is ready to comply."

She finally looked at him; she probably saw the pity in his eyes.

She glared at him; she did not want pity any more than he did.

"It was all for the greater good," she shrugged, "The skills I learned from my parents served me well in the physical part of my training, and gene mods that my people are famous for made me far more than what I was. My bones are twice as strong as a normal human my age. I can run twice as long and lift almost three times my own weight."

She smiled at the slight widening of his eyes.

"My pain threshold is also higher, I could be tortured for several days without breaking; I can see in almost total darkness and can hear far beyond the normal human range."

"And you also have to kill yourself if you fail to protect your mistress," Jas added.

She winced.

"That too," she agreed.

She sighed and shook her head.

"How did you do it? How did you stop me from obeying my final order? That is supposed to be impossible. No one beats the system, it always wins."

Jas smiled at her.

"The Force can do many things," he answered, "It gave me the chance to get through whatever programming that the nobles put into you."

He squeezed her hand again.

"If you like, I could try again."

"Try what?" she asked.

"I could use the Force; try to get through the programming that was put in your head. I…I could free you from it."

Val's eyes widened, for a moment Jas thought she was going to say yes, that she would let him try.

Then…a sad smile came to her face.

"No," she said, "That isn't necessary."

"Val," he said, "You don't have to be…"

"Vess' protector? Of course I do," her smile turned soft, warm.

It almost made Jas blush.

"Thank you, for the offer, it is very kind of you, but…this is a choice I made long ago, I can live with it."

"What about your family," he asked.

"My brothers live well enough," she answered, "I used my position to purchase a proper home for them in one of the coastal cities. They are both young men now, and because of my sacrifice have the chance to have better lives than they would have. Both are currently attending the finest university on the planet, and even in death I can help them. The package offered the family members of slain sworn protectors is nothing to sneeze at."

"You don't think they would much rather have their sister?"

She sniffed at that.

"I've tried to speak with them over the years. All that they say when we are together is how much I've changed, how I don't act like I used to."

She sighed.

"Alric was not wrong on that point, the system does change you."

She looked up at him.

"Do you think I made the wrong choice? Do you think I should have done more to help my family?"

"I don't really see how," he responded, "What does your heart tell you?"

Val sat back and chuckled.

"It would probably tell me that I'm really drunk."

Jas laughed lightly.

"Mine too," he agreed.

She smirked.

"Glad to see that our hearts are in agreement."

He nodded and let out a heavy sigh.

"We should really get out of here; morning is going to becoming far too soon.

She nodded.

"Would…would you walk me to my quarters?" she asked.

He nodded.

It was the least he could do.

Jas was not sure how they managed not to fall off the walkway leading out of the galley, but they did, now that they were moving the liquor they had drank seemed far stronger than he had realized. They were both very warm, and giggling like young children.

Thankfully, through the Force and Val's enhancements, they somehow found their way up.

The ship was fairly silent, only the soft rumble of hyperspace could be heard through the hull.

Jas stopped before a lone door.

"This is **my** quarters," he informed her, "You have the room next to Vess' right?

She nodded.

"Is it just you, in there," she asked, "or do you bunk with one of the others?"

"All to myself," he said, "the advantage of being first officer on this ship."

Val grinned.

"I was hoping you would say that."

Before he could answer she grabbed and pushed him up against the door.

"Val…what are you…mmmmm."

She pinned him to the door and kissed him, fiercely.

Jas could have pushed her away but didn't, her breath tasted of the sweet liquor they had been drinking, his body warmed as she pressed hers tightly against his.

She broke away, panting, her green eyes dark with desire.

"Val," he said in a husky voice, "I can't…"

Her eyes darkened, her lip trembled with longing.

"Please," she murmured, "Please Jas…"

The look on her face, what he was sensing through the Force almost broke his heart.

The poor woman, he thought, the poor sweet girl.

"You saved my life," she purred, "Gave me a chance to fulfill my queen's wishes. I'm…I'm in your debt."

She stroked his cheek with her fingers.

"Let me reward you, and find a bit of comfort as well. Please, Jas," she murmured, "Please."

He wanted to push her away, that is what his head said he should be doing, but he did not.

He was too lost, lost in both the drink and in those beautiful green eyes.

"Let me have tonight," she murmured into his ear, kissing and nibbling on the lobe.

He shuddered.

What she was doing, the way her body was moving against his.

It felt good, really good.

"We're drunk, you realize that right?"

She grinned.

"I don't care, please, love me. Please."

Jas tried one last time to push her back, but ended with his hands gently cupping her breast, he could feel her heart beating, fast and strong.

He took a shuddering breath.

Oh what the hell, he thought.

He triggered the door and took her into his arms; she kissed him hungrily, wrapping her legs around his waist. He carried her inside.

He had no time to close the door, so he gestured with the Force it slid shut behind them.

She untangled herself from him, finding her feet but only after she pulled her boots off, the vibro blade she had hidden there clattered to the deck.

The two stood before each other, both lost in each other's eyes, wanting only one thing.

"How do you want to do this," he panted, her fingers unbuttoning his shirt.

She smiled and kissed him deeply, pulling back only long enough to pull her shirt over her head and off.

"Oh my," he said, staring as she slid down her leggings.

She wore nothing now, but a look of hunger, and a smile of pure desire.

"Follow my lead, good sir," she giggled, "I know exactly what to do."

Jas grinned.

"As you wish, my good woman," he said, taking her into his arms.

"I'm all yours."


	19. A Knight

**A/N: Still a bit mature to end this story arc, nothing explicit, but consider yourself warned. New arc coming for twenty, enjoy!**

**Chapter 19: A Knight**

He woke…alone.

Jas Dar Bynn sat up with a start, his head throbbing slightly from the hangover from the night before. In that moment he was grateful for the dull light in his quarters, the last thing he wanted at that moment was bright lights shining in his eyes.

"_Strong stuff, but it did the trick_," that is what she said.

Those words had been a gross understatement to be sure.

_Damn,_ he thought, _whatever was in those flasks…__**never**__ again._

He pushed off the blanket and sat up. His clothes lay scattered around his quarters, yet there was no sign of her. He ran his fingers over the mattress. The spot next to him was still warm; she had not been gone that long.

Jas closed his eyes and reached out with the Force, he could have dispelled the after effects from last night, but he did not. It had been a learning experience, a life experience.

He wanted to make sure he missed nothing.

The memory of what had happened came flooding back. In hindsight, he should have resisted, should have said no and showed Val back to her quarters…

…Of course, if he had done that, last night would not have happened. He was not at his best this morning, but one thing he knew for sure.

_What had happened, he wouldn't trade those moments for anything. It had been…__**something.**_

The thought made him chuckle.

"Well," he said to himself, "That was…different."

Once again, his words were an understatement.

Different was not enough, it was not strong enough word; in fact…he had no words.

What had happened; had happened, and…

…he was content.

He rubbed his temples and looked around his quarters. Part of him hoped that she would still be here. It would have been nice to talk more. He…he was starting to like what he had heard from her, and was curious to know more.

He wanted to think that last night was more than just…physical.

_You're imagining things_, his conscience chided, _Val told you very clearly what last night was, don't make it more than that._

_Don't make it strange._

He sighed heavily.

_Accept what it was, enjoy the moment, and let it pass._

That had been her advice to him as she lay in his arms last night. She had needed a bit of comfort, and found it for a time. She had offered him a chance to be like everyone else in the galaxy…

_Did it have to be __**more**__ than that?_

…Probably not, but still…

Jas shook his head.

…he was starting to realize just how inexperienced he was when it came to such things. Char Valenthyne had been a good teacher he had learned much about his desires last night, far more than his years of Jedi control had allowed him to experience.

It had begun as something of a frenzy, his inhibitions had been lowered by the drink they had shared, and she not been above enjoying the experience, she had whispered in his ear as they had begun; as they had found their way into his bunk.

She had taken upon herself to teach him, and he had been a willing student…

…extremely willing.

"Touch me here," she murmured.

"That's it…right there…yeah…oh…oh…yesss!"

"Kiss me here."

"Oh gods…I want it!

"Please Jas…please."

He had obeyed her commands, desire like this was new to him, but it did not feel like the dark side, this was…something else, more primal, instinct and not emotion.

He remembered staring into her beautiful green eyes as she smiled down on him.

"Ooh, slow down there, hotshot, you've already scored; let us not rush the experience."

He nodded, her words had been enough, brought him back to the now.

There was no reason to rush; he wanted to savor this moment.

He wanted…to enjoy it. He wanted her to enjoy it too!

He had obeyed her command; he had slowed down and took his time.

The wondrous experience they were sharing continued.

As it turned out, making love in a ship's bunk was not as easy as one might think. Both he and Val had bumped their heads at least once, and when they had rolled over, they had almost fallen out of it, twice.

Val didn't care; she had eyes only for him, that and what they were doing.

Jas briefly thought of their first meeting in that alley on Bantoon, of her blaster pressed against his head.

Oh what a difference a few days had made, they had made…all the difference.

She had moaned with pleasure when they had finally found what they had both been looking for.

He fell back, gasping.

Damn, he thought.

Wow!

Val smiled down on him again.

"Mmmm," she sighed contentedly, "Someone is a fast learner."

He had given her a shy smile, unsure of what to say next.

"Did…did you like that?" he asked, "I wasn't…wasn't really sure that I was…"

She gently touched his cheek. Her expression was warm, her smile gentle.

Somehow, she knew what he was going to confess.

"Was this your first time?"

He had nodded, he felt silly, but he had no reason to lie to her.

She did not tease him about that, or belittle his lack of experience. She simply sighed and lay down next to him resting her cheek against his heart.

"You did catch on quick," she purred, running her fingers down his bare chest. Her breath warm against his chest.

She sighed contentedly.

"Your future girlfriends are going to thank me."

Jas had nothing to say to that, the liquor, and the exertion, was finally catching up to him.

He put his arm around Val, and smiled.

"Stay with me," he whispered, "Please."

She did not move, merely stretched and snuggled closer.

She's so warm, he realized, her heart beat strongly against his chest, he could feel it, her skin soft against his.

The Force around him felt warm and comfortable, like a freshly cleaned blanket, or a summer breeze.

They had both fallen asleep a few moments later, he could not say for how long.

It had been a good start, and the night was not quite over yet.

He awoke some time later, feeling her lips on his skin.

He looked down and saw her green eyes, they were dark with desire.

She looked up at him, hungrily.

"Love me," she murmured, "Please."

He nodded, and drew her in for a deep kiss. He rolled her onto her back, and did as she asked. Again, he took his time. Her happy sighs and moans turned into cries of passion.

As they finished he found himself once again lost in those green eyes.

"Oh gods," she said, "Oh…Rabb…I missed you."

Her words made him blink.

"Who is Rabb," he asked her.

Val blinked, her brow furrowed.

"What?"

"You called me Rabb."

"Did I?"

He nodded.

"An old flame?" he asked.

She frowned.

"I…I don't know. I…don't."

Her expression turned cool, he felt a shift in her; he felt confusion…frustration, sadness, fear.

She tried to push him away. She sat up, and tried to leave.

"Whoa there," he said, "You don't have to go."

She sat on the edge of the bed, holding herself, he was not sure, but he thought that the tough young security chief was trembling.

She is scared, he realized.

She was in pain.

He sat up and put his arms around her, she did not try to push him away, so he figured that she did not wish to go.

"What's wrong," he asked, "Did I say something wrong?"

She shook her head no.

"Tell me, Not a Jedi, do you ever…wonder if you are still you. Do you ever see a face on a crowd and know that that person was important to you, but you can't remember why. Do you ever hear a voice and know that it once brought you comfort or anger, but now…it belongs to a stranger, and you can't figure out why it ever mattered?"

"I can't say that I have," he admitted, "Is…that what it is like for you?"

"Sometimes," she said glancing over her shoulder at him, a sad smile on her face. "My instructors used to tell me to ignore those feelings, that they were nothing, shadows of what I was, left by the system, no longer important to me and my duties."

She shook her head.

"Sometimes I wonder what I gave up to become what I am now. Not just what I was told, but what I truly gave up. Maybe…maybe my brothers were right, maybe I'm not the woman I once was."

Jas said nothing, he simply held her. She could tell him anything, he would not judge or make light of it.

"I can't speak for that woman," Jas said, "I never met her, but I…think that I'm starting to know you, Val."

He smiled.

"What I've seen so far…it is pretty impressive."

She giggled at that.

"Are you sure your saying that because you mean it, or are you just trying to sweet talk me back into your bed?"

He shrugged.

"It is a bit of both."

Now she did laugh.

"Well, your honest I'll give you that."

She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

Again, her expression turned sad.

"Vess is going to miss you when we leave tomorrow. She has grown quite fond of you, you and your crew."

"What about you," he asked, "Will you miss us?"

She sighed.

"I have a feeling I'm going to be very busy. Vess is going to need help, support, credits, and people. I have a few contacts back home, I'll see if I can get ahold of them. Try to stage our own reverse coup, find a way to put my queen back on her throne."

Jas nodded, a worthy goal, but…

"You didn't answer my question."

"No I didn't," she replied, her hand came up and stroked his cheek.

"I learned long ago, not to look back Jas, to live in the moment, enjoy it, and let it pass. Sworn Protectors are not people; we are **tools,** swords and shields. We cut our noble's enemies. We shield their backs, and break when we fail."

She pursed her lips.

"The system leaves just enough of who we once were to interact with other people and each other. It allows us to seek out pleasures, but not to embrace them completely. We can fight it, and gods' know I tried, in beginning, but in the end the system always wins…_**always**_."

She leaned in again and kissed his cheek.

"I don't have the luxury of missing people, of wanting for myself. Vess is my responsibility, and she will be until the day I fall to one of her enemies. I'll die in her service, all protectors do, that is simply the way it is. From what I've heard about the Jedi, your people live a similar life, don't you?"

He nodded.

"We make that sacrifice, yes, but it is our choice. No one programs a Jedi Padawan to be a tool."

"And what do you call teaching a child from infancy; telling them that they must be willing to die for your order and the Republic. Is that any different from the system? Are the Jedi any different from the Sworn Protectors?"

He was about to protest, to try and defend the order, but as he thought about it, as he considered what she had said…

He had no argument.

She was not wrong…not entirely.

"When the Republic first came to our world, they brought a Jedi with them, a human male. He addressed my queen and the matriarchy, told us about their order, how they live to serve. He said that they were the guardians of peace and justice in the Republic; Champions of the Force."

"You didn't believe him?"

Val shrugged.

"It is easy to say such words, actions speak louder. For all his talk, he still came in with representatives of the mining guild and Republic Senate."

She shook her head.

"My queen let her own doom in the front door."

"Do you blame the Jedi? Do you blame me?"

Val gave him that sad smile again.

"Not you," she said, "after what you have done…never you."

She looked down at her feet; he felt her pain, her sadness and confusion.

It must have been hard for her, to take these small moments for herself, knowing that she would have to return to her duties when they were done. That she would one day die carrying them out.

It was…sad.

"I should go," she said bending over and picking up her shirt.

"Vess will need me in the morning. I…"

He reached out and stopped her, pulling her back into his arms.

"Hey," she said, "what are you…"

He kissed her again, and again, and again.

She sighed.

He smiled.

"Let us have one last moment then," he said, "No regret, no recrimination."

Val squealed as she scooped her up and pulled her back into the bunk. He had her on her back; he looked down on her, his eyes warm and hungry.

She let her shirt fall from her hand.

She giggled.

"Uh oh," she said, "I fear I've woken a monster."

Jas gave her a cruel smile.

"No, you just reminded a man that there is more to life than simply the Force and his duty."

Val groaned as his hands moved over her.

"Okay," she gasped, "One…last…time."

Her legs wrapped around him.

"Yes," he said in a husky voice.

"One…last time."

"Jas," murmured happily.

"Oh, Yesss!"

IOI

Jas left his quarters and made his way to the bridge. He could feel the rumble of the engines beneath his feet, the gentle hum of hyperspace.

Last night had been last night, but now…it was time to move on.

It was time to get back to work.

He felt no shame; he understood what had happened, and what had been gained.

Last night…it had been nice; maybe that was all it had to be.

He would not make any more of it than what it was.

He arrived to find the rest of the crew at their stations. Tessa was at the comm station making adjustments. Figgy was typing on his console, likely double checking their exit vector.

Jas smiled as he looked at the helm. Coop was in his chair, and sitting next to him…

Jas chuckled.

"Have I been replaced?" he asked.

His chair turned. Vess smiled at him. The little queen was dressed in her school uniform, with his nerf hide jacket draped over her shoulders like a heavy cloak. She had rolled up the sleeves so that her hands did not get lost within them.

"Hello Mister Jas," the little girl said brightly, "Captain Cooper was teaching me about flying a starship."

"It never hurts to know such things, Your Highness," Coop said, "The galaxy can be a rough place; it never hurts to know more than the other guy."

Jas nodded, some might call such a view as cynical, and personally he found it realistic.

The panel in front of Coop beeped loudly, a red light flashed over the hyperspace levers.

"Reversion to real space in forty seconds," Figgy called out.

Coop looked down at Vess.

"Jas is going to need his seat back, kiddo. We're about to arrive at our destination."

The little girl got up without complaint. Jas sat down and checked his instruments. Vess did not go far, choosing to remain close to him.

He hit the switches that would begin to feed power back to the sub-lights.

"Reversion to real space in five seconds," Figgy called out, "Three, two, one…MARK!"

Coop pushed the hyperspace lever up.

The blue glowing tunnel that was hyperspace broke up as the stars snapped back into their usual position.

The Coop's Folly emerged; a green and white world filled the main viewport.

Jas nodded thoughtfully.

They had made it.

They had reached Alderaan.

Jas felt the wonder radiating off the little girl. He looked over and saw her eyes were wide as saucers.

"Is that it," she asked, "Is that Alderaan?"

"Yup," Coop said, "Home of artisans and philosophers."

"Sounds boring," Tessa said with a dry chuckle.

Vess blinked as she stared at the world, her new home.

"What is all that white down there?"

"That would be snow, kid," Jas said, "I can't imagine you saw much of that on Bantoon?"

"No," she said shaking her head, "Bantoon is a tropical world; we have small icecaps, but nothing like this."

The girl shook her head.

"I've never seen snow before, only holos of it, and…there is so much green, I've never seen so much land before."

Jas smiled.

It would be a change for the girl; Alderaan was a far more…cosmopolitan than Bantoon. The Republic had a strong presence here; it had been, after all, one of the original members.

The door to the bridge hissed open. Char Valenthyne entered, once again armed and wearing her leather coat.

Vess grinned at her protector as she entered.

"Val!" she cried out, "We made it! Look!"

"Yes, Your Grace," the young protector said taking her place at her queen's side.

"We are here."

Jas looked up at her, Val barely acknowledged his presence; her eyes were cool and all business.

She turned to Tessa.

"Miss Calican, please broadcast the hail on the channel I provided you with. Lady Dorma will be expecting us."

Tessa looked at Coop, who nodded.

The Captain did have final say on such matters after all.

Jas once again looked at Val. He thought she might have already moved past what they had shared, that she would not even acknowledge what had happened.

He was about to turn away, when she finally looked at him, her smile was small, but it was there.

"Thank you," she mouthed.

Jas smiled.

Protectors were just tools, huh?

He didn't believe that.

Val was more than that.

Programming or not she was willing to die for her mistress.

That did not make her a weapon.

That made her a hero.

IOI

The Coop's Folly cut through the cold morning air. The sun was rising over the snowy mountains in the distance. The Alderaani estate rose up before them, its crimson and gold pillars jutting out of the mountainside.

Jas started the landing cycle, the landing pad for the estate looked too small to accommodate a ship like the Folly but he knew that that was just a trick of the eye.

The building grew larger as they approached, not simply an estate, but more of a castle. The pad was likely big enough to hold two ships the size of the Folly with still room for row of small speeders.

It was clear that the Lady Dorma had not married into some small house; the Alderaani family she had joined clearly commanded both power and respect.

Good, he thought, how else would Vess be kept safe?

As the Folly touched down on the landing pad, a group of nobles emerged, flanking by four guards. No sooner than they were down, the crew made for the loading ramp, escorting their two guests. Jas found himself curious to meet the mysterious Lady Dorma, Val said that the woman was a friend; he hoped that it was so.

Vess had seen too much tragedy and betrayal.

She deserved to have at least one thing go right.

Through the cloud of steam the crew of the Coop's Folly disembarked. Coop and Jas led the way followed closely by the two Bann and the rest of their people. Burr whistled as he regarded the estate.

"They people must be loaded, Cap'n," he said with a smirk, "Maybe this was not such a bad idea after all."

"So pleased that you agree, Mister Burr," Coop said smiling as the Alderaani finally made their way up to them. Their leader was a petite young woman with curly strawberry blonde hair. Though she was dressed in the traditional Alderaan style, her eyes and the way she moved pretty much screamed that she, like Vess and Val, had been born on Bantoon.

She was also several months pregnant, the gown did little to hide that fact.

She smiled in the way of someone used to a life in a royal court; she curtseyed to the new arrivals.

"I'm the Lady Dorma," she said, her accent identical to Val's, "In the name of House Rist, I welcome you to Alderaan."

"AUNTIE DORMA!" Vess screamed and ran to her.

"Hello, Starfish," she said embracing the little girl, after a moment she stepped back and looked at her.

"By the gods, you have gotten so big."

Vess beamed, happy to be around someone who greeted her like family.

The lady turned to Val.

"Chief Valenthyne, welcome to Alderaan, and thank you for your service."

"Lady Dorma," Val said bowing to the noble, "In the name of her grace, Annara V, I thank you for your aid and your hospitality."

"It is my pleasure," she answered, "Annara was not just my queen, but my friend as well."

The noble sighed.

"Caring for her child is the least I can do."

"I have you heard from my father, Auntie?" Vess asked.

"We had hoped that he would arrive before us, he did leave even before the queen."

Dorma's expression turned sad.

"We have received no word, I'm afraid. The high general has neither contacted me, nor reached Alderaan, as far as I know."

"Oh," Vess said sadly.

Jas winced.

Poor kid, he thought.

She was likely an orphan now.

He looked over at Val.

At least…she was not alone.

Dorma embraced the girl again, after which she rose and turned to the Coop's Folly and her crew.

"Captain Gabriel Cooper, my lady," coop said bowing slightly, "Jas, my first officer and clan brother."

"My lady," Jas said bowing as well.

The Lady Dorma smiled.

"You are most welcome here, Captain, you and your men. You may not realize it, but you might just have saved a way of life today."

"It was our pleasure to be of service, Coop added, "My crew is always willing to help."

"If the price is right," Dorma said with a smile.

Coop fell silent; he had not wanted to broach the subject so openly, but…

The lady laughed.

"Chief Valenthyne had already informed me of your arrangement captain. House Rist has no problem compensating you for your time and service, and…in fact."

The woman's smile widened.

"We may have a new arrangement for you, if you are of a mind."

"I'm always willing to listen, my lady," Coop replied.

"Good," Dorma said, "My husband and I will discuss it with you tonight over evening meal, if you would join us?"

"We would be honored," Coop replied.

Jas chuckled.

He and the rest of their crew weren't exactly dressed for a noble dinner; still…it was nice that they would not have to haggle with Lady Rist over services rendered.

"Auntie Dorma," Vess said.

"Yes Starfish?"

"There is one thing that I must take care of before we go any further."

She turned to Val.

"Chief Valenthyne, may I see your combat baton, please."

"Of course, my queen," Val said pulling out the weapon, she seemed confused. Both Lady Dorma and Coop were equally so.

Vess turned to Jas.

"Mister Jas," she ordered, "would you be so kind as to kneel, please."

Jas was not sure what was happening, but he did as he was asked.

This was not Vess the little girl speaking right now, but Queen Vessaria IX.

He was curious to see what she had in mind.

Vess looked at the baton. She wrinkled her nose.

"This should have been done with one of the honor swords of my people, but these are strange times."

"You need a sword?" Jas said, "I think that I can help with that."

He reached into his sleeve and withdrew his lightsaber.

Vess nodded and handed the baton back to Val.

Vess looked at the lightsaber; she turned it around in her small hands.

"The black switch on the side, Your Grace," Jas said.

The girl nodded, and activated the weapon, its violet blade humming in the morning light.

"Yes," Vess said, "This will do nicely.

Dorma blinked, likely recognizing the weapon and what it meant.

The little queen turned to Jas while his crew and the Alderaani bore witness.

"It has been many years since this has been done," the little girl said, "But today, it is long overdue. A queen may do this for a great warrior, even if her kingdom is very far away."

Vess lowered the blade so its beam floated over Jas's shoulder. She passed it over his head and to the right.

"Mister Jas, for your courage and bravery, let it be known that you stand above the rank and file."

The words sounded strange from the girl's mouth, but it was clear she had learned them long ago.

Vess smiled as she turned off the blade and held it out to its owner.

"Arise Sir Jas," she said, "Arise a Champion of the matriarchy, a Knight of Bantoon."

Jas blinked.

He…he…

A smile came to his lips; he didn't know what to say.

He was touched.

A few days ago he had walked into an alley, knowing that he would never be a knight.

Today, that had changed.

He may not have been a Jedi Knight, but the fact that it had been Vess who had done this.

It was important…to him.

Jas took his blade and bowed deeply to the little.

"My lady," he said, "You honor me."

The little girl flushed and looked away.

"You have earned it, sir, defender of my life and my people."

She turned back to Val.

"I said it right, didn't I Val?"

The protector nodded; a smile on her face.

"It was perfect, my Queen."

"Good," the girl said.

She giggled.

"I was afraid I messed it up."

Dorma chuckled and kissed the girl on the cheek, she put her arm around her leading her away from the ship, towards the estate, her home in exile.

Shusk, Tessa, and Figgy congratulated Jas. Burr snorted and said he had no intention of kissing any tail, he didn't care what title Jas now had.

Val came up to him, her smile warm and gentle.

"Can I offer you a piece of advice, Sir Jas?"

"Yeah," he said, "please."

Her smile turned sad.

"Don't end up like me, have a life, live it and find happiness."

She reached out and touched his cheek, just as she had done the night they had been together.

"Don't let the past deny you that. You don't owe the Jedi a thing, remember that."

He nodded.

"I will." She turned to catch up with her Queen and the lady of House Rist.

Jas shook his head and laughed.

"Quite a first mission, huh?"

Coop came up beside him watching the girl and her protector leave.

Coop smirked.

"Is it just me or is Chief Valenthyne walking a little funny this morning?"

He chuckled.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you buddy?"

Jas flushed.

"Maybe." He said.

Coop laughed.

"You realize that I'm going tease you mercilessly about this, right?"

Jas shrugged.

"That is okay, it was worth it."

Coop put his arm around his clan brother's shoulder

"I know buddy."

"I know."

**A/N: I've come too really like Char Valenthyne as a character, would any of you like to see a one shot story with her? One came to me while I was writing the last chapter. If you would like to hear it, let me know in the reviews. Until next time dear readers.**

**DG**


	20. An Ordinary Life

**Chapter 20: A New Life**

Three little words.

Jas watched as the young woman made her way through the park. The afternoon sun playing off her dark hair, her mouth curled into a smile as she chatted with her friends. It was that smile that only made her seem that much more beautiful.

He grinned like an idiot, he couldn't help it.

What had he done to get so lucky? He could not say his life as a member of the Folly crew certainly hadn't earned him any point, and yet…here he was; a young man waiting in a park for a beautiful young woman. Wanting to say three words to her.

_Is this what it was like,_ he wondered?

_Was this how it was for those that did not hear the Force whispering in their ears?_

He hated to admit it, but he **liked** it.

The rules of the Jedi Order were quite clear on this. Passion was forbidden, possession was forbidden, but as he had told a certain security chief from Bantoon a year ago, he was no Jedi.

Maybe it was finally time to stop pretending that he was.

Maybe it was time to actually start living his life…a simply…ordinary life.

An ordinary life, he thought, a normal life, or as close to someone in his line of work could find?

Was it truly possible?

Jas didn't know, but he was willing to try…

…he wanted to find out, and it would all start with saying three words to her. He swallowed hard, trying to muster his courage.

He was nervous, and tried to remain calm.

It was just three little words.

He could do this.

He watched as she said goodbye to her friend, the other girl likely heading off to either work or class. The one he waited for had just finished with her own classes, he knew her routine, they had met her several times in the past, of course, those meetings had been arranged in advance, and today he hoped to surprise her. This girl he watched, Prynn Pelar was a medical student here in Coronet, the capital city of the planet Corellia. The two of them had first met through Tessa Calican, the Coop's Folly's comm officer. Prynn was a friend of Tessa's girlfriend, Sesca, and one night Tessa and Sesca had invited Jas to go out with them, Prynn had had still been new in Coronet at the time and had needed to get out and meet people.

On that night, she had met Jas Dar Bynn or rather, Jas Cooper for the first time. He had not really expected anything out of it, he had simply been looking for something to do while the crew was between jobs, but as the night had gone on, he had realized just how…interested he was in the young woman.

Prynn, a brilliant dark skinned woman, originally from the planet Chandrila, had had a very interesting youth, one that had spoken to his own past. Her parents had worked as missionaries of a sort, helping set up new colonies as the Republic's age of expansion continued. Both she and her father had worked closely with Jedi healers, giving the young woman an interesting perspective on the order. She had come to see the value of Jedi calm and techniques; she was not intimidated by either them or their power.

It was common ground, fertile soil to plant the seeds of a new relationship.

Jas had been…intrigued, enchanted, and intrigued.

Prynn had lived on twelve different worlds in as many years, and for most of that time had gravitated towards the work of her father, a doctor that had helped set up clinics and hospitals on the worlds they had visited.

Eventually, when she came of age, Prynn decided to return to the core; her experiences having shaped her young mind. She wished to continue her father's work, hoping to become a doctor herself. She had studied medicine on her homeworld, and now was attending university here in the Correllian system, all the while working at the capital city's hospital and volunteering at the med clinic on Treasure ship Row.

Jas was not sure how she had made the acquaintance of Sesca; another spacer interested in the independent traders life, but the two had become friends, and through Tessa. Jas had gotten to know her as well.

He still remembered that first night, how quickly Prynn had breached his defenses, her easy smile had put him at ease, her compassion and heart radiating out through the Force.

When the night ended, he was shocked when he asked if she would like to go out with him again, and even more shocked when she nodded, that sweet smile of hers turning shy and her cheeks flushing slightly with interest.

And all because he had decided to go with Tessa for a night of fun; he had gambled, and it seemed he had won.

All because he had taken the advice Chief Valenthyne had given him back on Alderaan.

_You don't owe the Jedi Order a thing._

_Have a life, enjoy it, and find happiness._

Jas nodded.

It was good advice, but at the same time, he still wondered at times if he was doing the right thing.

The Jedi way was not so easily cast aside.

He had always tried to look out for others.

Looking out for himself felt…awkward.

Looking out for own his needs were something new to him; until he was nine he had been trained to ignore his needs. It was a role he had been comfortable with, both in Clan Nuna, and aboard the Coop's Folly.

Yet now, he was trying to find something for himself. He found himself wanting something, someone. Was Prynn part of that, he found himself hoping that she was…

It had been slow going at first, his choice to try dating again. Both Coop and Randa had cheered him on, but he had had no luck in finding someone that truly interested him, at least, until, Tessa had gotten involved.

Now here he was, waiting for Prynn in her favorite spot, a lovely park across from the hospital. He had told her not to expect him back until tomorrow, but he had been lucky and their business had ended early.

Now here he was, hoping to surprise her.

He smiled.

They had been dating only three months, but what a three months it had been. It had been a series of new experiences for him, much like the move from Ord Mantel to Corellia had been, but like the decision to move their base of operations, it had been worth it.

The Coop's Folly crew was flourishing here on Corellia, and all because of a few good words put in for them by the Lady Dorma Rist.

The rest, as they say, was history.

IOI

It had been almost a year since the Coop's Folly's adventures on Bantoon, almost a year since they had delivered the little queen to safety, and in the end, Burr had been proven right.

Boss Tyntas had NOT been happy about Coop's decisions.

The smuggler chief had learned about the Bantoon thing through his contacts in the Red Eclipse. He did not trade slaves himself, but he still kept an eye on the competition. The Trandoshans had put a price on Vess and her protector, had been willing to pay handsomely for their acquisition.

So, when word had gotten out that the Folly had gotten the two Bann to safety, Tyntas had felt cheated. The Folly crew had been working as his hirelings after all.

He felt they should have consulted him before making any decisions on such a…valuable piece of merchandise.

As soon as the crew realized who they had on board, they should have returned to Ord Mantel; that was the boss's opinion on the matter. Especially after the girl's guardian had been incapacitated. When Val had shut down, the little queen had been at the mercy of Coop and his crew; they should have consulted with Tyntas right then and there. He could have told them who they had onboard, and what to do with the little girl. Had the Folly returned to Ord Mantel the Tyntas group could have struck a far better deal than Coop had himself, the boss viewed what had happened as Coop getting greedy and not wishing to share with his employer.

Coop had not seen it that way.

Had Tyntas owned the Folly outright, that would have been one thing, but he did not. The Folly crew was an independent operator. They had fulfilled their contract to Tyntas by delivering the gene mods that they had been sent to acquire. The contract had said nothing about dealing in people. Vess and Val had not been a part of any deal.

He had taken on his passengers as an independent operator, they had given him their travel pass as payment for the journey, he had accepted, end of story. What happened later was simply a matter of Coop defending his ship. It did not matter who Vess was, she had been a passenger on Coop's ship, and had been under his protection, he did not sell out guests.

It was bad for business.

Coop's argument presented Boss Tyntas with a problem. On one hand he had always depended on independent operators to keep his costs down; paying others to maintain their vessels was cheaper and safer than buying his own fleet. At the same time, he was angry about the loss of profits that the little queen could have provided.

If he punished Coop, he risked the anger of his other independent crews, men and women who also valued their freedom and what they did on their own ships.

So, the boss had decided to be…less direct in the punishment he had handed down to the Folly and her crew. Tyntas simply refused to offer Coop any lucrative contracts, the ones he did send paid so little that they were barely worth the cost of fuel. He also increased the landing fees at all his facilities for ships that fit the profile of the Folly, the problem in having such a unique vessel was that he could find a dozen little things to tax them for that would not affect the other crews.

Coop was not foolish, after the first few weeks he knew what was going on. Randa knew to, when Tyntas' suppliers started jacking up the cost of parts and fuel.

If the Folly stayed where it was, they would be out of fuel in three months.

Randa Halcyon had been understandably angry and her boyfriend. Furious that he had managed to mess up a deal that she had spent so many years planning and working towards. Things might have truly turned sour between the two lovers had Jas not taken Randa aside and explained what had happened, what Tyntas was truly punishing them for.

She was still not happy with them, but she was at least willing to consider that Coop had done the right thing, which saved the crew in the long run.

Randa's claim on the Folly was far stronger than Coop's it was her ship first, he simply led the men and crewed it. If the two had broken up, things might have gotten messy, which is probably what Boss Tyntas had been hoping for.

One thing was for certain, the Coop's Folly was done with the Tyntas group. They would need to find another way to stay flying.

Fortunately, Coop had a solution; one that had sprang from his kindness, and wiliness to help the little queen of Bantoon.

Dorma Rist was extremely impressed at the length that Coop and company had gone to protect her new foster daughter. She had been so happy that she gave Coop's name to the other noble families of Alderaan, people looking for deliveries to be made with no questions asked.

Though not as lucrative as the deals found at Tyntas, they at least kept the Folly in the stars for a while longer. Most of the Alderaani nobles were not above a little graft when it came to rare foods and wines, or pieces of artwork that would cost more to ship through normal channels.

The work had been good, and after doing that for a few months, things had gotten better for the crew.

Corellian ambassador had heard the story about what had happened with the Bann and The Red Eclipse.

He had approached Coop through the Rist, he had an interesting proposition. It was a proposition that was both profitable and offered the Coop's Folly crew a chance to take a bit of revenge on the Red Eclipse.

Coop, of course, said yes.

The Red Eclipse had made the mistake of preying on a group of colonists out of Corellia. Officially, such a matter needed to be handled by the Republic navy and Jedi, but the Corellians had not wished to wait that long.

In the months that followed _The Coop's Folly_ transported several Corellian military teams to key locations in the mid and outer rim. They struck at Red Eclipse interests and facilities. These missions were off the books, and not entirely legal, but that is why they worked.

The Red Eclipse's friends in high places could not betray actions they did not know about, and the Corellian military kept the matter quiet, no Republic involvement, and no Jedi.

Except for Jas' aid with the Force on occasion, no Jedi were in the loop.

Jas had been cautious at first. As far as he knew, the price the Kuati had put on his head was still live, and living on Corellia meant that they were now very close to Republic justice, perhaps _**too**_ close.

Coop dismissed his worries; the Corellians were not looking for them, only at punishing the lizard pirates that had hurt their people.

It would be okay.

Right now, the Coop's Folly was flying on the side of the righteous.

_They were the good guys…sort of._

The Corellians had been very good to them. They not only paid for the missions, but they offered the Folly a landing facility not far from the treasure ship row district of the capital. It was close enough to launch a clan destine mission from, and at the same time close enough to the other fringe elements that Coop was comfortable working with.

He even had the idea to expand, of turning their single vessel into an enterprise; he had contacted several others in the smuggler community, independents that shied away from the larger smuggler groups.

Coop hoped to make things better, for all of them.

The whole thing had worked like a charm. It had even offered a sense of legitimacy to the Cooper/Halcyon organization. Officially, Coop and Jas were part of the capital militia, and since they had seen combat for the planet, it had entitled the two young men to wear Corellian blood stripes on their pants, the red markings that symbolized that the two were combat veterans, something usually reserved only for members of the Corellian military.

Both wore those stripes proudly, it helped sell their reputations, and that was never a bad thing.

Coop had big plans, and anything that added to his reputation did not hurt.

Plus, he had a good ground team, which never hurt when you were working with smugglers, ships were always developing some quirks, it was good to have people that could fix them, and Coop most certainly did.

As she had with their operations on Ord Mantel, Randa had taken over control of their ground team, keeping the ship fueled and serviced as needed.

It had taken a bit for her warm up to her boyfriend again, but slowly, over the months of successful business the two lovers had mended fences.

If anything the experience had made them closer, he could see it when they were together. Coop seemed to change when Randa was around, but in a good way.

Jas completely approved.

He was not sure, but he suspected that Coop was starting to consider marrying Randa, they had been together forever, and it seemed like the next logical step.

They said nothing about such matters of course, both so focused on rebuilding their business, that did not mean that the two did not keep the rest of the crew up half the night with their lovemaking, they were both quite loud when they were happy.

Which was part of the reason that Jas now hoped to surprise Prynn, Randa had just returned from a buying trip, and she and Coop would likely wish to spend some quality time together this evening.

Jas knew what that meant, and unless he wanted to spend another sleepless night, listening to his two friends, he knew it wise to seek out different sleeping arrangements this evening.

He hoped that Prynn would be up for the idea as well, it was a bit forward on his part, but he did not see any reason that she wouldn't.

They had been…_intimate_ three times since they had started dating, and likely would have been more had his business not kept him away for long periods of time.

_Yet you still can't say them_, his conscience chided, _those three little words._

Jas shook his head.

It was not that easy, he wanted to but…

He swallowed hard again.

It was not that easy.

IOI

Prynn stopped beside a drink vendor, purchasing one of the iced fizzies that were so popular among the students here.

Jas smiled as he drank in her lovely form. Her top and jeans did nothing to take away from her lovely figure; the green and gold coat she wore bore both symbols of the university and the medical school.

Her long curly black hair was pulled up as it always was when she volunteered, her horned rimmed glasses sat cutely upon the bridge of her nose. As he approached from behind, she removed her glasses, likely to wipe away some of the pollen that seemed to get everywhere in the park on days like today.

Jas came up behind her, and covered her eyes with his hands.

"Guess who," he asked playfully.

Her back stiffened for a moment, but then he felt her relax, no doubt recognizing his voice.

"Hm," she replied, he could imagine the amused smile on her face.

"Well," she said matter of factly, "You waited until after I took off my glasses before trying this, which suggests you are a gentleman. You smell of the spaceport, so you have clearly just got into the system.

She reached up and touched his hands, her fingers slim and strong.

Her touch made him shiver.

He knew how skilled she was with those fingers, and her clever little tongue.

Finally, she smiled.

"Avos, is that you," she asked, "We shouldn't be meeting like this, I have a boyfriend now."

Jas cringed.

"Who is Avos?"

Prynn laughed.

"A boy who said he wanted to marry me when I was three," she said grinning.

He took his hands away and she turned to face him, her smile lighting up her face.

That smile warmed Jas Dar Bynn like the light from the sun.

"Hey there handsome," she said with an eager grin, "Fancy meeting you here."

Before he could say another word she was in his arms, kissing him deeply.

Jas held her close, enjoying the experiencing, the Force around the young woman darkened, he could sense the lust and desire building.

Whoa there, he thought to himself, plenty of time for that later, when you two are alone.

It was like Val had said.

Some things could not be rushed.

When the two broke they were both breathless and grinning.

Why did this happen, he wondered.

How did I get so lucky?

IOI

They spent her break together, he ordered them some food skewers and they walked the path, eating and talking pleasantly.

"How long can you stay?" she asked.

"A few days, a week at most," he replied.

His smile turned playful.

"Looking to get rid of me already, ready to find your way back to Avos?"

She laughed at that.

"You are going to hold that over me for a while, aren't you?"

"Just until you show me, how much I mean to you?"

Her dark eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Is that a challenge, Mister Cooper?"

"More of an invitation actually.

She grinned hungrily.

"And if I accept?"

"Well," he said dryly, "We will just have to see how things go."

Again he felt a surge of desire from her, it was extremely arousing,

He tried to maintain his cool, but it was not easy.

Say it, his conscience said, it is just three little words.

He smiled.

"Would you be interested in accepting tonight? I could come over, fix you dinner?"

"Tempting," she said, "I take it that Randa is home?"

Jas winced.

"Yeah," he admitted, "I think I mentioned how much fun nights aboard the Folly are when she is."

"Looking to get a good night's sleep, eh?"

"It would be nice."

She leaned in and kissed him chastely on the lips.

"I'm not sure how much we will be sleeping."

Her words made him flush slightly.

The look in her eyes excited him.

_Just tell her._

He grinned.

"Is that a, yes?"

"Maybe," she said coyly, "Come over about six and we will see."

Jas' grin bloomed into a full blown smile.

What fun, he thought.

What fun!

"I have to get back," she said, "my break is over."

She kissed him chastely on the lips.

"See you tonight."

He watched as she turned and left, his eyes never leaving her, enjoying the view.

"Tonight," he promised in a low whisper.

He still had **not** said it. He had still not said the three little words.

_I love you._

Was it really so hard?

Was he really such a coward?

Why did they stick in his throat so?

Why?

He shook his head.

Oh well, he thought, tonight.

Tonight.

IOI

He had spent the rest of the day tending to matters aboard ship, then about two hours before he had said he would stop by Prynn's he got ready. He showered, shaved, and put on his best clothes.

As he made his way from his quarters, he found himself stopping in the main hold; the rest of the crew was there, relaxing for evening.

He made his way to the first of his shipmates, hoping for an honest opinion.

He smiled and looked up.

How do I look Bee Ten?"

Jas did a quick spin, so that the droid's optics could get a good look at him. He was wearing a new black shirt, and matching nerf hide jacket. His blue pants were the ones adorned with his blood stripes, just in case Prynn was in the mood to spend the evening out.

He didn't think she would, but why take chances.

Besides, he wanted to look his best for her.

She deserved nothing less.

The loader droid regarded him with its huge sad optics.

It made a sound that might have been called a sigh.

"You look like one of my masters, master Jas," it replied, "Like you are about to order me to lift something and take it somewhere."

The droid shook his head.

"Ah, the excitement that is my existence."

"Pay him no mind, Jas," Tessa called out the table where she was playing cards with Burr and Shusk.

"You look great."

He beamed, grateful for her opinion.

He probably should have asked her first.

One of these days, they really had to improve the droid's personality matrix.

What did Bee ten know about human beauty concepts.

"Off to see your doctor friend, Jas?' Burr said with cruel grin.

He nodded, thought he did not like what he sensed from Burr.

He was surprised that the enforcer had stuck with them after the Tyntas thing; still…every group needed their heavy.

Burr was theirs.

"Usually it is the doctor that makes the house call," Burr said, "Still I suppose even a doctor has to study human anatomy every now and then."

Jas glared at him, and flashed him a rude gesture with his hand.

Burr smirked, and returned to his cards, enjoying the fact he had made his shipmate uncomfortable.

"Taking Prynn out on the town, tonight, Jas?' Tessa asked.

He shook his head no.

"She was volunteering all day, after a day of running around the clinic; she prefers to spend a quiet evening at home.

Not that things would be all the quiet after the lights went out, he thought with hint of a grin.

"I'll probably just cook her dinner and we will stay in."

Burr shot him a surprised look.

"You can cook?"

Jas laughed.

"I used to cook all the time when I was with the Mandalorians. Got pretty good at it to, needed to be when feeding a pack of heavily armed and armored warriors.

Burr snorted at that.

"If it was field rations you were using, I wouldn't really call that cooking. Still I'm surprised Coop never had you cook for us."

Shusk giggled.

"I'm guessing he is only doing it so he can charge up the girl's loading ramp," the Chandra Fan cackled.

Both Jas and Tessa shot him a dirty look.

"What?" the little alien said, "It is not like I'm wrong."

Jas shook his head.

No, Shusk was not wrong, but he could have used a bit more tact.

Jas did not like to think what he had with Prynn was some lark.

He hoped that what was coming would be more, much more.

All he had to do was say three little words.

_Maybe he would do it tonight._

Coop emerged from his quarters he looked down at his crew, a pleasant smile on his face.

"Looks like I have another job lined up for us folks," he informed them, "If you have anything to take care of before the end of the week, I suggest you not wait, we are going to be back in space five days from now."

"Who is the client," Tessa asked.

"Dorma Rist, she has need of our services again."

Jas nodded.

A week would be just enough time to settle things here, maybe take his relationship with Prynn to the next level. As for the job, well…"

"Did her ladyship say anything about Val or Vess, Coop? How is the little queen settling in?"

"Are you sure that it is the kid you are interested in, old buddy, or the girl protecting her?"

Jas blushed and looked away.

It wasn't like that, not really. Val had been the first woman he had ever slept with, for a Force sensitive that was a big thing.

Intimacy created a very strong bond, even if your partner was not Force sensitive that bond remained.

He would always care for Val, and given her connection to Vess, he would always care for her as well.

He worried, and why not.

He had been responsible for getting them to safety after all.

He had Prynn, or rather he hoped he did, but…Val had been something special.

He would always share a bond with her, it was the simply the way of the Force.

"Hey Jas," Coop said again, drawing his attention.

"I also just received a transmission from Ellis; the clan is back on Mandalore, and thriving.

Jas nodded.

That was great news! After so many years of isolation, he was glad to hear that Clan Nuna had finally found its place again.

"Any problems with the clan's old enemies?" he asked.

Not that Ellis mentioned," Coop said with a hint of a frown, "He did say something about one of the fighters in the gladiator pits on Mandalore, something about this guy making a play for the title of Mandalore, himself.

Jas frowned.

That was…not so good.

The Republic and Jedi had left Mandalore alone in the last three centuries because there had been no strong figure in authority on the planet. It was in the Republic's best interest to keep the clans separate and reduced to warring factions.

If a single leader were to unify the clans again, if he convinced them to return to the old ways.

Things could become difficult for the Republic.

Jas shook his head.

Perhaps he should contact Ellis himself, the chieftain still looked at him as a friend.

Maybe he could find out a bit more about what was going on, on the Mandalorian homeworld.

Maybe he could find some way to prevent any trouble.

Coop made his way down the walkway to the floor of the hold, if he was worried about the clan he did not show it.

He grinned at his old friend.

"Going out with your lady again, huh?"

Jas nodded.

Coop grinned.

"Still don't see what she sees in you?"

Jas laughed nervously.

Coop wasn't the only one.

"Prynn has always had a thing for bad boys," Tessa answered him, "At least that is what Sesca told me."

Burr laughed.

"I wouldn't call Jas a bad boy, Calican."

"He is bad enough for Prynn," she said with a smirk, "That is all that matters."

Jas nodded.

That It did.

He was grateful for that.

"I'll be back sometime tomorrow," he informed his friend and captain.

"Enjoy your time with Randa, Coop."

"See yah, old buddy," Coop replied, "Don't do anything that I wouldn't do."

Jas fought the urge to blush.

He had heard some of things that Randa shouted during her and Coop's revels.

He did not think that there were many things that Coop wouldn't do.

Again, Jas felt a stirring his blood.

He was most eager to spend his evening with his girl.

The thought brought a smile to his face.

To think, he thought Jas Dar Bynn, with a girl of his own?

Incredible!

Maybe tonight would be the night, maybe he would say the three words to her, take what they had to the next level.

He was willing, who knew.

He smiled serenely.

Perhaps this was the evening where everything changed.

Maybe he was ready to finally let go of his past, and seek a future with someone.

Maybe.

IOI

The tram ride was uneventful, and soon Jas found himself walking the last few blocks to Prynn's apartment.

His heart fluttered nervously, he knew what he wanted to happen tonight; at least, he thought he did.

He was eager to see how she reacted.

He wondered if it was possible.

Would she be willing to share a normal life with him?

That nervousness only grew as he entered the building where his lady lived. Jas stood in the central elevator, trying to remain calm, even practicing some old calming techniques he had not used in years.

I can do this, he thought.

I can.

As he stepped off the elevator he felt a disturbance, the nervousness that he had felt earlier increased fivefold.

Jas made his way to Prynn's apartment; he walked quickly, trying not to run.

The Force urged him on, something was different…he could feel it.

Something had happened, he realized.

What was going on?

It took all of this will not to simply blast the door open with the Force. He still wore a sidearm, and his lightsaber was hidden inside a pocket of jacket. He raised his finger; it shook nervously as he touched the control.

The door slid open without resistance, Prynn never left her home unlocked, normally when he tried the button, it would have beeped, and said no admittance, a few seconds later Prynn's voice would ring out over the intercom, welcoming to her home.

That did not happen, the apartment was dark quiet.

Jas reached out with the Force.

He felt nothing, only a sense of unease, chaos.

He stepped into the room, cautiously.

His breath caught in his throat.

Prynn's apartment had been sacked. Furniture had been turned over, books and papers scattered on the floor. Only shadows greeted him, he heard no sounds, merely the nighttime sounds from out on the street.

Jas drew his sidearm.

He did not like this.

He had a bad feeling about this.

He scanned the shadows with both his eyes and Force, he found nothing, he…

"Don't MOVE!" Jas whirled around aiming his blaster.

"DON'T YOU MOVE!"

He had sensed it barely, like an echo in the Force, small and almost undetectable.

The intruder sat perched on one of Prynn's bookcases, a small alien, of a species he did not recognize.

Jas blinked unsure of what he was seeing.

What was it? He wondered.

Why was it here?"

It was small, had it been standing at his feet, it likely would have stood as tall as his thigh. Green skinned with long pointed ears, and raven black hair pulled up into a top knot.

It was an odd little being to be sure.

It was also dressed in robes, dark brown robes that were almost black; a small utility belt could be seen around its waist

Jas' heart skipped a beat.

Familiar robes, he realized.

Jedi robes.

He shivered.

Oh no.

The little alien peered down at him with cool dark brown eyes.

Its gaze seemed to penetrate him, pinning him where he stood.

The alien cleared its throat and addressed.

"Jas Dar Bynn, you are?"

Jas nodded stupidly, and hated himself for it the moment he did.

So much for playing dumb, better to be the real thing, he thought kicking himself mentally.

Nice one, he thought, really slick.

A hint of a smile came to the alien's face.

"Greetings, to you," the little Jedi said bowing its head, "Mondar, Am I. Shadow of the Jedi Order, I am."

Jas felt his blood run cold.

A Jedi Shadow…here.

They had found him, after all these years, they had **finally **found him.

"Consider yourself in my custody, you will," the Jedi said.

Jas fought the urge to curse.

The little alien's smile brightened.

"In trouble, you are."

Jas sighed.

No kidding.


	21. Shadowhunt

**Chapter 21: Shadowhunt**

"The blaster...need it, you do not."

Jas glared up at the tiny alien, it did not move from its perch, content to simply sit there while he held his sidearm pointed at its green head.

Even as he did so, he realized how foolish he was being.

This was not some smuggler or mercenary he was threatening, this was a Jedi Shadow! Shadows were the order's executioners, they were trained to hunt and slay rogue Force users, and what was Jas Dar Bynn if not a rogue Force user?

The realization made him shiver.

The only reason why his head was still attached was because the little alien did not wish him dead, at least…not yet.

If he attacked, the shadow would be on him in seconds. The Jedi would draw his yellow blade, and that would be it. Jas could resist, try to fight, but he did not like his chances, not one bit.

_This is how I die_, he thought morosely, _no trial, no real chance to defend myself._

My death is here, and it has come in the form of this strange little creature.

The Jedi shifted slightly on his perch, small clawed feet dangled off the edge of the book shelf, it did not look dangerous, but that was what made such agents of the order so effective.

How many people would look at this Jedi and not see a threat?

Quite a few, he suspected, at least until the little being drew his lightsaber.

It was then that you would see just how fearsome a shadow could be.

All the stories he had heard as a child about the shadows came back to him in that moment. The order's hunters had been the bogey men of the younglings, the ones that would come for you if you misbehaved in any way.

Jas took a deep and cleansing breath.

He was _**not **_a child anymore, and there was something far more important to him than his own life.

He focused on the alien, trying to keep his voice cool and even.

"Where is Prynn?" he demanded, "What have you done with her?"

The little Jedi sighed; he looked more insulted than angry.

"Harmed the woman, I have not," the shadow replied, "Gone she was, when I first arrived."

He shook his head.

"Too late to help her, I was."

Jas blinked

_He had not done this?_

_He had not torn Prynn's apartment apart?_

_Of course he didn't,_ the rational side of his mind chimed in, _a Jedi would not need to result to such tactics. As a Jedi he could have simply asked for Prynn's help, she wouldn't have refused him, not given her history, and had she decided to resist, he would have used the Force to compel her to help him, Shadows were said to have the most powerful wills of any of the order's agents._

Few beings could resist their Force persuasion if a shadow desired something, they would usually get it.

No, Jas realized, the shadow had not done this.

But if not him…then who?

"What happened to her," he asked the Jedi, "Do you know?"

The Jedi nodded.

"See for yourself, you should."

He pointed down at Prynn's dinner table, the place where Jas had sat twice before, where he and Prynn had sat and simply talked.

It had been nice.

It had been right here that they had shared their first kiss. They had been cleaning up after eating, she had leaned into to scoop up one of the empty plates, and he had moved in to push it closer to her. They had been too close, their noses had touched, and then, after a few giggles and awkward smiles, their lips had met.

The memory now made him shudder, that first kiss had been so shy, and yet…so inviting. It had been a taste of things to come. They had gone out again the very next night, Coop had scheduled the Folly to leave for Balmorra the next day, and Jas had not wanted to wait, he had needed to speak with Prynn again, he had been curious if she had regretted the kiss. It had been a self-conscious fear, but he could not help it. He had come over, so that they could talk, not that they had done much talking.

They had been out together three times, before that, and Prynn had not wanted to wait anymore. She had pulled him into her apartment, and that had been it. They had spent the next two hours in her bed making slow passionate love. The lessons that Jas had learned from Char Valenthyne had come in very handy that night. He had **more** than satisfied her. Prynn had cried out in ecstasy several times…he had been more than a little smug about that the next morning.

Those memories brought him no comfort now, all he felt was worry, fear for the beautiful young medical student, the woman that he had chosen…the woman that he might...

Just three little words and he had not been able to say them.

He reached out with the Force, noticing a small round metal object sitting on the table, the only thing that had not been tossed on the floor like it was worthless. He pulled it to him, and as soon as he had it in hand, he knew what it was, recognized it.

_No_, he thought.

_No…not like this._

He tried to keep from throwing up.

_Why now, after all this time…why now?_

It was a puck, a bounty puck. Basically an electronic wanted poster, the Bounty Hunter's guilds handed them out like candy.

The bile rose in his throat.

_Oh Prynn_, he thought.

_I'm so sorry._

He pressed the button on the side of the device, a small hologram activated. The image was grainy, but clear.

It was him or rather, him as he had been five years ago; fifteen years old with a lightsaber in hand, trying to defend Coop, Ellis, and Mother Nuna back on Kuat.

_Your fault_, his conscience whispered.

_This is all __**your **__fault!_

The image had an audio recording attached to it. It activated the moment that Jas switched the puck on.

"You are a hard man to find, Jedi," the voice was cruel and dripping with arrogance.

Jas had no doubt that he was hearing the voice of one of the kidnappers.

_A dead man_, the angry little voice in the back of his head, growled.

_You are hearing the voice of a dead man._

Jas tried to ignore that voice, to focus on Prynn, finding her, and getting her safely.

He listened to the recording.

It might just be her only chance.

"Here's how this is going to work," the recording continued "we have the woman, so from this point on, you may consider us your shot callers. Come to the coordinates listed on this puck, alone. Do so in one hour. If you do not, we will start sending you pieces of the girl to hangar that you call home."

There was sound like a laugh, a cold ruthless chuckle.

"You have under an hour, Jedi, don't be late."

There was a blast of static, followed by the sound of a woman crying, whimpering in fear or pain.

"Jas! Jas please help me! I don't…don't know what is going on, but please. PLEASE!"

He winced as Prynn's screams got cut off.

"One hour Jedi," The recording repeated, "We'll be waiting."

The image of his face faded, replaced by the location that the hunter wished him to come to.

Jas shook his head.

_It's all my fault._

While the message had played the shadow had not moved, he remained on his perch, watching his quarry.

Jas turned to him, feeling a surge of anger for the first time.

"Looks like you are not going to have to kill me," he said bitterly, "I'm guessing these hunters will do the job for you."

The shadow shook his head.

"In my custody, you are," he said, "Go alone, you cannot."

"**You can't stop me,"** Jas shouted, knowing that that was a lie, if the little Jedi wanted to stop him; he likely had several ways to do it.

He glared at the alien.

"Does it really matter how I die?" he asked, "Do you really have to be the one to end my life?"

Jas pulled his lightsaber from his sleeve, he did not ignite it, but he could in a second if needed.

"Prynn is an innocent victim in this; it's my fault she is in trouble. I'm not abandoning her."

"Giving yourself up, meaningless, it will be. Save the woman, you will not," the Jedi said, "Leave no witnesses, these hunters will, take you in, yes, but kill the woman as well, leave no loose ends, they will."

"Then what the hell am I supposed to do, shadow?" he demanded, "I can't abandon her!"

The little Jedi snorted.

"Shadow is being my title, not my name."

He sat up a little straighter.

"Mondar, my name is. Help you, I can."

Jas paused.

_What?_

_Help me?_

"You…you want to _help?"_

"Yes," the shadow said nodding.

"Innocent, the woman is, as you said. Deserve this fate, she does not."

Jas was confused, he…he did not know what to say.

"I thought you were sent to kill me," Jas said, "Isn't that what you do with Dark Jedi?"

The shadow, Mondar, did something strange then.

He laughed; his little feet shaking with mirth.

"A Dark Jedi, are you?"

The little alien shook his head.

"Fear, I sense, yes, and anger too, anger at the hunters, yes. Seek to punish them, you do. Hurt them, for hurting her, you will."

Jas took another deep breath.

"I don't care what happens to them, all I want to do is bring Prynn home safe. You want to kill me once she is out of danger, fine, but until then; I'm not going to stop until I know she is safe."

If he was insulted, the Jedi did not show it, if anything, he seemed pleased by what Jas was saying.

"Yes," Mondar said with a smile.

The hunter did not seem very threatening in that moment, he seemed…curious if nothing else.

Jas got the feeling that he was being tested, that the little shadow had not made his mind up as to what needed to happen with Jas Dar Bynn.

He continued to smile.

"Fear and anger, in you, yes, but contained, controlled, courage as well, resolve, yes. Care for the woman you do? Die for her, would you?"

Jas looked down at his lightsaber; he knew this would likely be a one way trip, if the hunters did not kill him and take his head in for the bounty, this shadow likely would.

"I will try for her," Jas proclaimed.

Mondar tilted his head slightly, his pointed ears rose.

"Love her, do you?"

Jas swallowed hard.

That was the real question wasn't it, it wasn't something he wanted to discuss with the little Jedi, still if it guaranteed his help.

Those three little words, they could change the galaxy.

Jas sighed.

"I'm…_attracted_ to her, I care for her, and…I enjoy spending time with her. That…I think that is how I feel, those feelings they…they are turning into something more, maybe, it could become love, it _**might**_ become love."

He shook his head.

"This is my fault, I'm the reason she is in this mess. I need to get her out of it, regardless of how I feel.

He glared at the Jedi.

"So what if I love her or not; I know how the Jedi feel about such attachments; I don't expect you to understand."

The alien's expression turned sad. He looked down, not wishing to meet Jas' gaze.

"Understand better than you might think, I do," he said nodding.

He rose from his perch and leapt into the air; he bounced from the wall to Prynn's table, and finally with a flip, landed on Jas Dar Bynn's back.

Jas winced, feeling the claws on alien's bare feet dig into his back. The shadow leaned in; Jas could feel his warm breath on his neck.

"Go, we should," Mondar said, "Not long does the woman have."

Jas nodded.

Yes, he realized.

They needed to go, they didn't have much time.

We need help, Jas thought, I could contact the Folly on my communicator, the crew could...

That thought died before it was finished.

I can't call for help, he realized, the hunter's know about the Folly, what if they have someone watching it right now?

No, he was on his own, just him, the hunters, and this little Jedi that believed he was his prisoner.

Jas sighed.

In that moment, he felt a sense of fatalistic certainty.

_I will likely not see the dawn_ he realized, but for now, at least…

He gathered his courage.

Did he love Prynn, he was not sure, but he would not let her be hurt.

He would bring her home.

He would do it. He wouldn't simply try.

Tonight there was no try.

He would succeed.

She would come home.

IOI

Jas did not dare take the tram or an air taxi. He had no idea how far the hunters' reach might be.

Their best bet was to approach silently, catch the hunters off balance; rescue Prynn and then deal with the threat once and for all.

The location given by the Bounty Puck was inside one of Coronet's larger industrial areas. The age of expansion had increased the need for ships five-fold. The constant improvement on ship design had rendered some of the industrial sectors around Coronet obsolete; at least until someone decided to pay the credits to upgrade them.

Such sectors could sit abandoned for weeks or months at a time. It was in one of these abandoned areas that Jas had been told to go, and so, for Prynn's sake, that is what he would do.

He would go, just not in the way that the hunters expected.

Jas made the bulk of that journey on foot. He used the Force to enhance both his speed and his balance. He leapt from one building to the next. He moved from roof top to roof top, with the little Jedi Shadow still griping his back.

For Jas Dar Bynn, this was a taxing way to travel, it had been a long time since he had used the Force to move in this way, it was not something he did normally, pushing his connection to the limit. It was like exercising a muscle that he had not used in a while.

The result left him winded, but still…he remained determined.

He would not leave Prynn to suffer.

He was going to get her back.

His passenger said little as they made their way. Mondar seemed content to simply watch and wait. After an especially long jump, Jas paused to catch his breath, and gather his strength anew.

"I don't see why I had to carry you all this way," he told the Jedi, "Surely you could have kept up on your own."

Again, the little Jedi laughed.

"Far longer legs, you have, Jas Dar Bynn," the shadow reminded him, "Speed is what is required now, the best way to reach your lady, it is."

Jas nodded.

The shadow was not wrong, still…

He feared he would not arrive at their destination in the best of shape, even if he did rest before going into battle, he feared his strength would not be enough.

He feared that Prynn might already be lost.

He tried not to think about that.

She had to be alright, she had too.

How did this happen, he found himself wondering, I've always been so careful.

Yet, he had said nothing when Coop agreed to relocate their base to Corellia. Being in the core was dangerous for someone like him, especially with such a high price on his head. The Kuati had long memories and large pocket books; they could afford to keep a bounty live, even if the Republic decided to shift a suspect to the ranks of the common criminal.

He had not even really considered the Jedi shadows finding him either. Though a member of the Republic, Corellia's native Jedi were…unique to say the least. After the war of Exar Kun, and the destruction of the Jedi world of Ossus, the Jedi had been reorganized, passing reforms to make the rise of a man like Exar harder to occur. No more would Jedi Masters have multiple Padawans, a master's focus would be on a single student at all times. Kun's master had been distracted, and it had allowed the fallen Jedi to explore things that he should never have had access to. The other reform was the decision to forbid the Jedi to marry. Such attachments were a distraction, and the strong emotions that they inspired could be dangerous, after the war, too many Jedi, who had lost loved ones during the conflict had sought to pay back the few survivors of Exar's fledging Sith Order, the desire for justice shifted quickly to a hunt for revenge.

Not all Jedi agreed with that, the Corellian Jedi had always had their own way of doing things, and they did not intend to stop now. Corellian Jedi had nurtured Force Sensitive bloodlines for years. The green robed Jedi married without fear, and watched over each other, shielding their fellows from the call of the dark side.

The rest of the order had come to see them as radicals, and did what they could to isolate the Corellians. For the most part, the Jedi who wore the green robes kept to themselves, they carried out their duties and reported to the council, but beyond that, they lived their lives and minded their own business.

It never occurred to Jas that one might sell him out.

"How did you find me?" he asked Mondar.

"Watched you for several weeks, I have," he confessed, "Sensed you a passing Jedi Master did. The sense of one growing strong in the Force, but not known to the Order. Contacted me, the master did. After that, not difficult to track down, you were."

Jas nodded grimly.

"If you have been watching me, you know that I have not done anything beyond my work with my crew. I'm no threat to the order."

The small Jedi sighed.

"Not my decision to make, that is. Recognized you have been; your image sent back to Coruscant, it was; believed dead Jas Dar Bynn was for many years."

He felt the little alien shift against his back.

"No threat, are you? Determine that, the council must."

"And if they say I need to be dragged back in chains?"

"Believe that to be your fate, I do not, but do as the council says, I will."

Jas sighed.

In other words, he was out of luck and out of time.

Whatever the council said, that is what would happen to him.

He hated to think that his fate would be determined by people that had not even tried to find him after he had been lost. They had not even looked to see if he had not died.

You have no time for that now, his conscience chided.

Prynn needs you, you remember Prynn don't you?

He nodded.

Yeah, he did.

He would not abandon her.

He continued on, pushing himself through the Force, focusing only on what lay ahead.

They were getting closer to the industrial area; the frames of many ships in the various stages of construction sat both below him, or hovered overhead.

Not so different than Kuat, he thought.

My life with Clan Nuna ended at a shipyard, now my whole life may end in one.

The thought both annoyed and frustrated him.

He was not afraid to die, there was no death, there was only the Force, but the thought of dying because of events far beyond his control, that, he did not like.

He found himself thinking back, remembering the cold voice on the bounty puck; the sick amusement that the hunter had taken in his predicament.

He would not be laughing long.

No.

As he had said many times, he was no Jedi.

The shadow might not like it, but Jas could not say what he would do to the hunters when he caught up with them, he wanted to say that he would let them go when Prynn was safe, but…

Jas shivered.

He felt the darkness again, its slippery presence hiding right at the edge of his consciousness, offering him the power he needed to not only save Prynn but to punish the hunters, and escape the little shadow that now had him at its mercy.

The darkness offered much, and for the first time since Kuat, Jas was willing to take more than a passing look at it.

Do what is necessary, it whispered.

Just let the darkness in, and all that you desire will be yours.

Jas swallowed hard, and turned away…

…For now.

IOI

The hunters awaited him near the hull of a scrapped Republic cruiser.

Jas leapt down from across the street, using the Force to slow his descent. To those that did not understand the Force, it might have looked like he was flying.

The waiting bounty crew was not impressed; they stood in a tense circle watching him closely as he approached.

Jas' eyes narrowed.

They were a rough bunch to be sure.

There were six of them. He saw four humans two male, two female, a large male Weequay, and an Aqualish, all armed and armored.

So far they had not drawn their weapons, yet. He sensed their amusement, the sense that they had things under control.

How little they truly understood.

One of the hunters stepped forward, he was a squat ugly human with a bald head, and a cybernetic cap covering his left ear; perhaps some form of prosthetic.

He flashed Jas an oily smile, a smile filled with dirty teeth.

"I guess you care about your little plaything after all, eh Jedi?"

His fellows chuckled

Jas did not so much as twitch, his eyes and the Force were all focused on the hunters; trying to keep the focused on him...

_Keep them distracted_, he thought.

_Keep them talking._

Mondar had taken off before he had leapt down here. The shadow had promised to locate Prynn and get her to safety

Jas Dar Bynn hoped the Jedi was being honest.

He hoped his commitment to helping an innocent woman was genuine.

All I have to do is buy time, simple.

He smiled coldly, a smile that did not touch his eyes.

"Okay, I'm here," Jas called out, "Let the lady go, you have no more reason to hold her."

Bald head smirked.

"Once you've secured, we will call our friend; he will…let her go."

Jas' eyes narrowed.

That pause before saying they would let Prynn go was quite telling.

Don't think about it, focus!

Mondar will get her out.

Keep them busy; keep them talking, buy time.

He could do that.

Bald head smirked, and threw a set of binders at Jas' feet.

"Cuff yourself; keep your hands where we can see 'em."

Jas used the Force to retrieve the cuffs; they rose up and flew into his hands, several of the hunters tensed.

Jas smiled coldly.

Let them see that I'm not some beaten bail jumper. They have to be careful around me; they have to stay focused on me, and only me.

Buy time.

Keep them talking.

Keep them occupied.

He regarded the hunters thoughtfully, keeping his expression bland, almost bored.

"So there are at least seven of you then," he said, "Last time I checked the bounty on my head was still sitting around thirty thousand."

Jas shrugged.

"Not much profit to be made for a team of seven.

"You would be surprised by what kind of money is out there, Jedi." Bald head said.

Another of the male humans, this one a heavy set man with greasy black hair and a beard stepped up and grinned.

"Lot of people died when you hit that shipyard, nobles had friends and family in those yards.

Greasy hair laughed.

"We will be holding an auction for you, merchandise, see how much the wealthy want to pay for the chance to end you proper, pay you back for death of their loved ones."

Jas nodded.

So this was about revenge, not justice.

He should have figured.

Not all hunters obeyed the guidelines the Republic set down; many took side jobs for the Hutt cartel and other underworld groups. Their prey, or hard merchandise as their victims were sometimes called, was just as likely to catch a blaster bolt as be taken before a magistrate.

It all came down to profit.

Jas shook his head.

He should have expected at least a few private bounties on his head after Kuat, the wealthy families of the planet had the money to spare after all. These hunters would probably do quite well if they held an auction.

Not a bad plan, he had to admit, the Republic wouldn't like it, but it was unlikely that any law enforcement would raise any complaints...

Who would begrudge some rich noble the chance to avenge a slain family member?

"So you are the one that blew up the Kuat Drive Yards?" a third hunter asked, this one was a woman, tall with fair skin, and blond hair that looked quite ragged, like it had been chopped off by a butcher's knife. Her black armored coat contrasted greatly with the crimson skirt she wore, slit up one side to give her more movement.

She stepped forward showing one long shapely leg; Jas looked down, he noticed the girl had a lightsaber on her belt, that, and what looked like a Padawan braid hanging behind her right ear.

In his surprise, he reached out, and the girl reached back. What he sensed in the Force from her was a blend of arrogance and excitement.

This was no Jedi he realized, he could sense the Force within the hunter, but it felt…chaotic, undisciplined.

Another lost soul, he wondered.

She flashed Jas an evil smile.

"Personally," she said, "I think we should forget the whole auction thing, Lief," she said those words to bald head, who frowned at the use of his name.

The lady hunter did not stop there.

"I remember hearing that Targo was looking for this guy. He's got to have plenty of credits stashed away by now, especially after that Possodum job.

She glanced over at her fellows.

"We can sell this guy to Targo Sei, he is sure to pay for him."

"That is not your call girl," Greasy beard growled.

She gave him a savage grin.

"I think that choice is up to the group, don't you?"

Jas listened to what she was saying; she was actually helping him by offering this alternative plan, getting her fellow hunters talking about it, but …

What she had said hit home.

A chill ran down his spine.

Targo Sei, she had said **his **name.

Targo Sei was alive, he had somehow escaped exile.

Jas' heart quickened at that news, and not in a good way.

Targo was alive.

SHIT!

Jas had given up his old rival for dead years ago, the chance of escaping the rock they had left him on had been remote, the world the clan had abandoned him on had been dangerous, and it should have finished Targo off.

Apparently, that had not been the case. Targo was still alive and loose in the galaxy again, likely a bounty hunter himself...

May the Force have mercy, Jas thought.

He could imagine what would happen to him if he fell into Targo's tender mercies.

Targo had never been the type to forget a grudge, and Jas had given him a reason to hold a big one.

He tried not to think about that now, Targo or no Targo.

He still had to give, the Jedi Shadow more time.

He had to stall.

Keep them talking, maybe get them arguing.

"Is the lady the boss then," Jas asked, "Maybe I can negotiate with her?"

That comment made bald head frown.

"Fallenstar is just hired muscle," he replied, "If you get out of line, she will use her powers on you."

The girl, Fallenstar, smirked.

"I'm pretty sure he is going to get out of line," she said dryly.

She flashed Jas a friendly grin.

"Tell me, merchandise, do you think that little shadow has freed the girl yet? He is a quick little frog I will give him that?

Jas tried to hide his surprise.

Oh no!

He tried not to show any emotion, appear like he did not know what she was talking about, but…

Please, he thought, reaching out through the Force, touching the girl's mind.

Please don't do this.

If she heard his plea she did not acknowledge it, she just kept flashing that shark-like grin of hers.

"What are you talking about, Fallenstar?" Greasy beard growled.

"What shadow," Bald head demanded, "What is going on?"

"There was a Jedi watching the girl's place, likely waiting for this one," she informed her fellows, "Jedi are not the type to let "innocents" suffer."

The girl laughed, the way she said innocent made it seem like a swear word.

"While we have been talking, I'm willing to bet my share of this hunt that the little beast is even now trying to reach Virg, he might even have freed the girl by now."

Bald head looked back and forth between Jas and Fallenstar, her expression morphing into something ugly.

"I warned you Jedi," he hissed.

He started to raise his comlink to his mouth…

"NOOOO!"

Jas threw out his hand, the strongest Force push he could manage slammed into bald head sending him flying. The hunter screamed as he flew back.

The screaming stopped as he struck the back wall head first with a wet crunch.

Time seemed to slow; Jas saw weapons starting to come up.

He pulled his lightsaber, the blade lit, filling the room with violet light.

The girl, Fallenstar, sprang forward, her own blade flared to life; a beam of aqua colored fire.

The two lightsabers hissed as they clashed; Jas found himself staring eye to eye with the female hunter, her eyes were wild and hungry for blood.

"Yes," she hissed, "Fight back, please."

Jas snarled.

As you wish, he thought.

He pushed her back and drove forward thrusting at her head with his blade.

She parried the strike as all hell broke loose.

Blaster fire filled the air, the hunters opened both on him and their ally.

Jas back pedaled, he parried several of the bolts away, but one did manage to catch him in the thigh, making him stumble.

The Weequay charged; it wielded a vicious looking vibroaxe, the kind of weapons that a Hutt enforcer favored.

Jas stumbled back, trying to find his footing, his leg barely responding, he could smell the burned cloth and charred flesh.

He tried to bring up his weapon to block the weequay's attack.

He was too slow.

The weapon started down.

Fallenstar was there. She beheaded the large bounty hunter with a single stroke.

Jas' eyes widened.

The girl had killed one of her own teammates!

"MY BOUNTY!" she shouted, "MINE!"

She laughed hysterically.

"**I'm the hero here! I'm the good guy!"**

Jas stumbled and went down.

"**BLAST THEM BOTH!"** Greasy beard shouted

Weapons fire continued, but now it was focused on the girl as much as it was him.

Fallenstar parried the blaster bolts; one caught the Aqualish in the neck.

The other female hunter turned, tried to run. The girl sent a rogue blaster bolt into her back; she fell with a choked cry.

Greasy beard screamed as he tried to retreat, firing his own weapon, still smiling the girl lunged for him. Any scream the hunter might have tried as the blue blade cleaved through his head.

He died with barely a sound.

The factory was silent, only the hum of two lightsabers remained.

Fallenstar looked down on her dead team with disgust.

"Filth, unworthy of hunting a Jedi, much less killing one," she spat.

she turned back to Jas.

She gave him another smile, her eyes flashed with a mix of amusement and madness.

"A Jedi deserves another Jedi, don't you think?"

Jas stumbled to his feet, despite the wound on his leg; he tried to return to a Makashi style guard.

"I'm no Jedi," he said flatly.

"Really, too bad," the girl said with a pout.

Her smile returned a moment later.

"At least you can DIE like one."

Jas Dar Bynn did not try to run; he stood his ground, hoping that Mondar had had enough time, hoping that these hunters had not hurt Prynn.

He would not put it passed this one; he was not sure what she was, but…

He didn't care, she had to be stopped.

He would stop her.

"You want me," Jas said.

"Oh Yeah." Her voice was a hungry hiss, the sound of a snake eager to strike.

Jas readied his sword.

"Come on then."

The girl laughed and lunged forward.

Jas met her blade again, blue and purple collided.

He used all his strength to push her back, push her back and advance.

"YOU WANT TO KILL ME! COME ON!"

He swung at her head, making her fall back, he advanced, his blade spinning faster and faster. The two Force users became a blur, their movements too fast for the naked eye.

She parried his blows again and again, laughing and crying at the same time.

"COME ON!

For Prynn, he thought.

Come on!


	22. Fallenstar

**Chapter 22: Fallenstar**

**Arrogant**

It was not an easy thing for Jas to admit. He had always tried to keep to the Jedi Code, to serve the will of the Force, and put others before himself. Yet, in this moment, as he crossed swords with the woman he knew only as Fallenstar, he understood something about himself, something that had blinded him for far too long.

He, Jas Dar Bynn, had been **extremely** arrogant. He had taken his abilities for granted for years. The Force had always given him an advantage over the various enemies he had faced. They could not match the power of the Force, and he had won again and again thinking it was because of his great skill and piety.

As he traded blows with Fallenstar, as their blades hissed, flashed, and spat around, him, he understood that now more than ever.

_What was I thinking?_

He shook his head as he parried another of her blows. So far he was holding out, but it was only a matter of time, he was injured and the girl just seemed to keep getting **stronger!** Debris propelled by the Force struck him in the back. When he spun to try and meet it, she moved in for the kill again and again. When he tried to attack with debris of his own, she blocked him, keeping him so busy that he could not focus. Any projectile he managed to throw flew off in a wild direction. Fallenstar giggled as she pressed the attack, no doubt amused by how basic his force powers truly were.

It should come as no surprise, his cynical side seemed to say, despite your training with the Mandalorians, you were still just a youngling when you left the temple. You understood the Shi Cho, but you had yet to start training in the more advanced lightsaber styles.

Fallenstar had been a Jedi Padawan, she had studied under a Jedi Master, and her skill with a lightsaber proved that. As erratic as she was in the Force, as unbalanced as she appeared mentally, she still fought like a trained Jedi.

Jas, for all his talent had remained a novice, he could hold his own against a mundane opponent, or someone with a flicker of Force sensitivity, but this…this…

What was happening here was quickly proving to be beyond him.

_She is __**better**__ than me_, he realized. This one had achieved the rank of full Padawan before going rogue, possibly had been close to graduating to full knight status. A Jedi Master had trained her, and trained her well.

_She had learned that master's secrets, learned Force abilities that me in my stumbling attempts to teach myself could never imagine!_

A piece of debris caught him in his bad leg, he stumbled, and she was there again, her blade flashing at his head.

"YOU WON'T HURT ANYONE ELSE!" she crowed, "YOU'RE _**MINE**_ MERCHANDISE! YOU ARE MINE!

Jas back pedaled again, trying to create some space, trying to think.

_It is over_, he realized.

_This girl is going to kill me._

What he had learned with Clan Nuna was just enough to keep her at bay, but…there was a reason that the Mandalorians had never defeated the Jedi in the several wars that had occurred between the two.

The Force was the great equalizer, and Jas simply did not know enough.

He…was going to die.

Of course, this had never been about winning, he was simply buying time, giving the Jedi Shadow a chance to find Prynn and get her to safety.

If he died doing that, then he had done what he had set out to do.

Prynn would be safe, and that was all that mattered.

Jas tried to leap away, to give himself some breathing room, to try and come up with something new. Again, Fallenstar proved faster. She caught him with a Force push mid-leap sending him flying; he came down hard on his wounded leg, the pain making him cry out.

Fallenstar was there before he had a chance to catch his breath. She brought her blade down again and again!

The Force gave him just enough of an edge to avoid her blade, avoiding being cleaved in two. He managed a Force push of his own, but it only made the girl stumble back two steps. It was barely enough time for Jas to find his feet again, and resume his ready stance, his blade at the ready.

He was breathing heavily now, they both were, but he could feel the triumph radiating off the surviving bounty hunter, she was eager to end this.

She was eager to make the kill.

She was ready…to kill him.

"You are going to answer for your crimes," she said grinning.

"You will be brought to justice."

Jas' eyes narrowed.

Justice?

Did she honestly say this was about bringing him to justice?

He couldn't say why, but in that moment…her words infuriated him.

He was…_**enraged!**_

Justice?

_What did this bounty hunter __**know**__ about justice?_

He found himself thinking about all he had seen during his exile, all that had happened to him since he had been abandoned by the Jedi all those years ago.

Was it justice that he had been left to die on a wreck of a ship that had been breaking apart?

Was it justice that no one, not even his own twin brother had tried to come for him? He had been left to fend for himself in the black void of space, and he was the criminal here?

Where was the fairness in that?!

Where was his justice?!

Where was the justice in Republic officers being able to kill entire crews of vessels because they thought them criminals and unworthy of life? Where was the justice for Mother Nuna, the woman who had raised him, taught him, and protected him? She had died saving him, and he was blamed for the crimes of her murderers. Where was the justice in that? Where was the justice in the mining guild supporting a coup on an innocent world? Where was the justice in letting them get away with murdering the world's rightful ruler, and sending her daughter and her friend into exile?

Where was the justice in a pack of craven bounty hunters kidnapping an innocent woman to lure him here? Where was the justice in threatening to kill her, to cut her to pieces and send her back to the man who cared for her in small boxes?

Where?

Where?

WHERE?!

In that one word the darkness found purchase again in Jas Dar Bynn, his desperation and cynicism giving way to anger, he felt it come, and this time he did not stop it.

The darkness offered so much to the willing servant.

_Why should I stop it?_

_What is the point of resisting?_

Where is justice, if not at the tip of a blade?

He glared at Fallenstar. She thought she was so powerful…

He grinned savagely.

**You don't know what true power is! **

The darkness offered more than simple power, it offered perspective, and clarity. In his mind's eye he saw Prynn dead on the floor of this factory; he saw the violations that Fallenstar and her allies had brought down upon her.

The world turned red as the darkness seeped into his heart offering him what he desired most.

No more holding back, no more waiting for some foolish little green Jedi to find Prynn's body.

No, the darkness offered so much more!

It offered him the chance to win!

All the pain and exhaustion he had been feeling burned away, he felt rejuvenated, transformed, and he once again found his feet.

He brought up his blade and readied for the next exchange.

Fallenstar's eyes widened, the girl likely felt the change in her…"Merchandise" she adapted a more defensive stance.

Jas almost laughed.

It would not be enough.

Now, he attacked.

Now…he wanted to win.

The bounty hunter was familiar with Soresu, the defender's style of lightsaber combat, but that knowledge would not be enough. Jas' renewed strength drove him forward, the shadow offering a wellspring of power, power beyond his wildest dreams.

He fought the urge to giggle.

As a child he had turned away from this. In his innocence and foolishness he had not embraced this wondrous feeling.

The boy he had been had been a fool.

His violet blade was everywhere, Fallenstar tried to retreat, he cut her off, she tried to throw debris at him; he dodged easily, and pushed on, pushed forward.

He sensed her confidence fall away, now it was she that was struggling.

He welcomed her fear and desperation.

It felt…good.

"MONSTER!" she shouted, "MURDERER!"

"Not yet," Jas hissed back, but he would be soon…

Yes…he would be soon.

The bounty hunter was no longer trying to kill him, now all her abilities were turned to trying to stay one step ahead of him, to avoid losing her head to his spinning blade. She continued to giggle and sob; lost in her own emotions, her pain.

He felt no pity.

He felt only anger.

You will pay for what you did to Prynn!

You will pay!

In her desperation she tried to impale him with the point of her lightsaber, she moved in close, inside is guard. He side-stepped and seized her wrist, the darkness gave him the strength and speed he needed to twist her wrist.

She yelped, and let go of her lightsaber.

Before she could recover it, it was in his hand; he reversed his grip and brought the blade down.

Fallenstar stumbled; she ended up on her knees, the two glowing blades crossed at her throat, a lethal x of light.

The bounty hunter looked up at him, a mix of shock and awe on her pretty features.

Jas stood above her, panting, feeling like he had the entire galaxy in the palm of his hand.

One step left, the darkness within whispered; seal the pact, become one with the darkness.

Kill the girl.

KILL HER!

Jas smiled wickedly down at his beaten opponent.

Fallenstar said nothing; she simply looked up at him, tears running down her cheeks.

Beg, he almost shouted.

I want to hear you beg, filth!

She said nothing; she simply looked up at him, a look of both resignation and excitement in her eyes.

"Do it," she whispered, "I…I deserve this."

She barked out a fatalistic laugh.

"Kill me, I know you want to."

Jas' hands tightened around the hilts of the two lightsabers.

Yes.

He did want to; he wanted to end this hunter's foul existence, but…but…

He swallowed hard.

What would he become if he did?

In that moment the Force sang to him, faces of those he knew, friends and enemies both.

They were all watching.

All of them were waiting for him to make the choice.

"Do it, Runt," Targo Sei said grinning, "Kill the little shutta."

"This isn't you, Jas," Mother Nuna said, "You aren't Mandalorian, but you are NOT like this."

"Kill her already," Alric spat, "You showed me no mercy, why does she deserve any?"

"Don't do it, Hotshot," Char Valenthyne whispered in his ear, "You are better than this."

"Mister Jas," Vess screamed, "Don't!"

Jas was breathing hard, looking down at the beaten hunter, she tilted her head slightly, offering him her neck; she was almost leaning into the violet colored blade.

She wants to die, he realized.

The thought shocked him.

She wants me to kill her.

"Go on," Fallenstar shouted, "Send me to the Force!"

She sobbed.

"Send me home!"

His hands shook, he…he…

He wanted this, but…but…

He took a deep shuddering breath.

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

He closed his eyes and centered himself.

"I'm sorry."

He deactivated the two lightsabers.

He stepped back from his would-be victim.

She looked at him with wide angry eyes.

"What are you doing?' she shouted, her voice cracking.

"I HAVE TO DIE!"

"No," Jas said shaking his hand.

"I'm sorry. I…I can't."

The bounty hunter growled, she reached out with the Force and ripped her blade from his grasp, she started to rise; her weapon hissed to life. She…

"STOP!"

The single word shook the room, both Jas and the girl jumped.

They turned to find Mondar standing before them, his golden bladed lightsaber humming in his hand, behind him stood Prynn.

Jas almost sobbed with relief.

She was okay.

She was alive.

"Jas?" Prynn said; she looked at him with new eyes, eyes filled not with affection and playfulness, but fear and disbelief.

The sensation of it shocked him, he…he…

He swallowed hard.

He had no words.

The little shadow looked at Jas and nodded.

"Well done," he said nodding sagely.

"Done well this day, you have, Jas Dar Bynn."

He turned to the bounty hunter. Her eyes were wild; she looked back and forth between Jas and Mondar.

The shadow sighed heavily.

"Mirax Fallenstar," he said shaking his head, "Lost your way, you have."

The blonde haired hunter glared at him.

"What do you know about my way, Greenie," she snarled, "I serve TRUE justice now, not just what the council says is justice."

She looked at Jas, her features morphing into something ugly.

"He is going to ruin your life, you know that, right?" she said grinning, "It doesn't have to be that way."

Her smile turned sly.

"How about it merchandise? If we work together we can kill this little frog and save ourselves a lot of trouble. Why waste our lives continuing to run from him. Let's finish it, right now."

Jas shook his head.

"A few moments ago, you wanted to kill me," he reminded her, "Now you want me to help you murder someone?"

"It's self-defense," she shouted, "He wants to lock us both away."

Mondar shook his head.

"Wish to imprison you; I do not, Mirax Fallenstar. Help you, I can. Help you, the order can."

"Help me," she said shaking her head, "There…there is no help for me."

Mondar gave her a sympathetic look.

"What happened to your master, not your fault, it was. Vima Dodonna cared for you, Mirax Fallenstar. Want us to help you, she would."

Hearing her master's name did not have the effect on the girl the shadow wanted.

She glared at him.

"You know nothing," she hissed, "My master died serving the council. It was the council that dropped us into that hole, and it is their fault she died."

The girl shook her head.

"I will never return to them, I have my own life now."

"Hunting people," Mondar said wrinkling his nose in distaste, "Killing for credits, you do."

She shrugged.

"A girl has to eat," she responded.

She looked at Prynn.

"I saved you, didn't I girl? Virg tried to hurt you, and I killed him. I saved you."

Mirax Fallenstar grinned.

"You owe me your life, I'm the hero here."

"She…she did save me," Prynn said, "She killed the one watching me, he…he hit me. She killed him for it, and left me, told me not to make a sound."

Prynn looked down at the dead hunters scattered through the room.

"Jas," she said, "What have you done?"

He wanted to shout that it wasn't his fault, that he had done nothing. That he had come here trying to save her, save her because he cared.

_Those three little words._

He could say them now, but still they stuck in his throat.

It was his fault, after all.

Had she not gotten involved with him, none of this would have happened. The hunters would not have come for her, and she would not have been dragged into this, her simple normal life was shattered forever.

And it was all his fault.

He wanted to tell her that he understood, that he could do better, that he would try to be better, for her, and for them.

Yet, those words did not come out, the only thing he could say were two simple phrases.

"I came to help," he said meekly.

"I wanted to save you."

From behind her cracked glasses, a single tear ran down Prynn's cheek.

Jas said nothing, there was nothing to say.

He knew what that single tear meant, he could feel it; her emotions were raw, like an open book at this point.

What he was feeling, her fear, she would never see him the same way again.

She knew what he was…

…and it broke his heart.

He had come here to save her, but in doing so, in her seeing what he was; the darkness that was within him.

She was lost, he knew it.

**They **were lost.

He took a shuddering breath.

It was over.

They were finished.

If Mondar saw what was happening between them, he did not show it. The little shadow only had eyes for Mirax Fallenstar.

He sighed.

"Questionable your methods are, young one," Mondar said grimly, "Saved a life, you did, but the way you did it…unfitting of a Jedi, it is."

Mirax sneered at that. Yet, she did shut down her lightsaber, putting it back on her belt.

Mondar did the same with his weapon; the two Jedi faced each other.

He did not look happy with her choices, but he did not attack her.

Jas could feel his disdain, he suspected that she could to, but if she did, she was not insulted or ashamed.

She simply kept on smiling.

"I take that as a compliment, master, not as an insult. I tried the Jedi way, my master tried it. All it did was get he killed."

Fallenstar frowned.

"I will never be so weak again."

Again, the shadow sighed.

"Powerful you are becoming, Mirax Fallenstar. Unpredictable you are. Ask you again, I do. Please, return to the temple you must. Help you the council can."

The young woman shook her head no.

"You can take me in if you want, shadow, but I will not go freely. My tasks are not yet done, there will always be scum hiding in the fringes, and people willing to pay handsomely to see them brought to justice."

The bounty hunter grinned.

"People like me are still needed. I won't abandon my clients, not when there is still so much work to be done."

Mondar shook his head, his long green ears lowered.

"Stop you, I will not, but warn you, I will. Felt your anger during your fight with Jas Dar Bynn, strong it is within you. Feed that emotion, you should not, or become something far worse than you are now, you will."

"Unlike the Jedi, I know my limits," she promised him, "I won't fall if that is what you are worried about."

"See, we shall," he nodded, "For now, know that being watched, are you. Stray any further from your path, and be waiting for you, I will."

Jas listened, his eyes widening slightly.

He could not believe what he was hearing.

The shadow was going to let her go. She had murdered her fellow hunters.

Yes, they had kidnapped Prynn, but still…

How…how could he just let her go?

She smiled and bowed slightly to Jas.

"See you around, merchandise," she said arrogantly, "Hopefully, the council will leave enough of you left for our next meeting, until then…"

HER smile widened.

"May the Force be with you."

She turned away then, limping slightly as she made her way out of the abandoned factory.

Jas still could not believe it.

She did save Prynn, he reminded himself, maybe that is what made Mondar think she was worthy of a pass, a chance to find her way back into the light.

He sighed.

Whatever happened, he would be very careful from now on.

Fallenstar knew who he was.

He did not think her the type to give up on lucrative piece of merchandise.

They likely would meet again.

The realization did little to help Jas' mood, and now, that he was no longer feeding on the Force, whether light or dark, he found himself feeling…exhausted.

He stumbled and fell to his knees.

Prynn approached him, her touch was gentle, but firm, she inspected the wound on his leg.

She shook her head.

"I need a med kit," she said, "I should tend this before we go."

"Saw one, I did, in the other office," Mondar said, "Bring it back to you, I will."

The little shadow left them then, left Jas alone with the girl that he had come to save, the girl he had cared for.

"Prynn," he said, "I…"

"Don't say anything," she said flatly.

"Prynn…I…"

"Not another word, Jas, please."

She looked at him, her eyes pleading.

"Please…no more."

She looked at him with tears in her eyes; he realized that in that moment it took all her strength not to simply walk away. What she believed in, her desire to be a doctor, her willingness to help people, that was all that kept her here. She knew who was to blame in all this, just as he did.

He sighed and fell silent.

She knew.

She tended to his injuries, not as a lover, but as someone skilled in medicine. He felt no affection from her, no gratitude, only the grim professionalism that kept her doing her job.

He shook his head.

She was lost to him.

Whatever they might have had, was gone.

It was gone the moment he asked to come over tonight.

They had been doomed from the start.

Mondar returned with the medical kit, it did not take Prynn long to stabilize his injuries.

The shadow ordered Jas to meet him in the marketplace near Treasure ship row, tomorrow at noon. From there he would go before the council, to explain why he had done all the things he had done in the last few years.

Jas nodded.

He could try to run, but realized that it would have been pointless.

Mondar knew who he was now.

Where ever the Coop's Folly flew, he would find it.

Jas could no longer run.

If he did, the next meeting he had with the shadow would not be as pleasant.

Mondar used his comlink to contact Cor-Sec, the Corellian Security force would be here shortly. They would see Prynn safely home, while Mondar answered any questions that the security officers might have.

Jas was allowed to go, to put his affairs in order, back aboard the Coop's Folly. Mondar could not say what the council would do, or what sentence they would pass over him when they met, only that he would speak up in Jas' defense.

"Did not give into hate, you did," the shadow said proudly, "Inform the council of that, I will."

"Fine," Jas said, he did not really feel grateful about all that had happened.

When Cor-Sec arrived, they rushed Prynn out of there, taking her to safety and to get her statement.

She had not even stopped to say goodbye, not that he expected her to.

He knew who was to blame for everything that had happened tonight, and now…

He sighed.

…now he would face the consequences; good or bad.

He shook his head.

His life, as it had been, was now over.

Any chance he had had at a normal life was gone.

Prynn was gone, and it was all his fault.

He had tried and failed, and now…

…he would pay for it.

_**A/N: Hope you are enjoying Rogue Jedi and my Avaryss stories as well. I'm thinking of doing a collection of short stories for the other characters here in the Avaryss-verse. If you are familiar with my Grim Tales for Dragon Age these one shots will be similar, giving point of view stories to the other characters in my Star Wars line. The first will likely be Char Valenthyne from Rogue Jedi, followed next by either Lord Necris, or Thranton Rink from the Avaryss stories. If you have any suggestions of whom you would like to see first, shoot me a review, until next time dear readers.**_

_**DG**_

_**PS: In case any of you are wondering, the events in this chapter take place about ten years before the Sith return to Korriban that was shown in the first Star Wars the Old Republic game, that should give you an idea of the time frame, and what is coming up next for my Rogue Jedi, until next time dear readers.**_


	23. Brothers

**Chapter 23: Brothers**

"So, it is over, just like that?"

Jas nodded grimly, he didn't want to say more, he…he didn't think that he needed to say more.

_It was over_, that was enough.

_No Prynn, no life, and no future_; he was still coming to terms with that so…right now.

He did not feel like indulging his friend's girlfriend's curiosity.

He was currently sitting in the galley aboard the Coop's Folly; it had been just after dawn when he had finally managed to make it home. The bandages and kolto injection that he had received from Prynn **had **helped his leg, but it still throbbed painfully.

Of course, any physical pain he felt was secondary at that moment. After what had happened tonight, after what he had wanted to happen had all gone awry. It was almost more than he could bear.

He felt…hollowed out, that was the only word for it. It felt like someone had reached into his chest and torn out everything that had made his short life what it was. He felt drained, and when he thought about it, only anger and depression remained, they were the only emotions that it seemed he had left, the only thing left to fill him back up.

Is…is this what a broken heart feels like?

He had heard the term before. He was no stranger to loss, he had felt pain when Mother Nuna had died, but that had been a death for a reason, it had had meaning, his Jedi sensibilities had allowed him to rationalize Mom's death, but this…this…

It was something that was beyond him. He…he **hurt**, and he had no idea how he was going to recover from it.

After the battle with the bounty hunters he had found himself wandering the streets of Corellia, alone. The painkillers he had been given from the med kit had helped, but he had not been ready to return home, not ready to explain what had happened to his friends…yet.

So he had walked, or rather limped, trying to muster his courage, he needed to head home, he knew that, but it would not be easy, questions awaited him at home, and after those questions were answered, he would still need to report to the Jedi Enclave here, to explain himself.

Both tasks were daunting, he was unsure how he was going to endure either of them.

So he had walked, walked and thought. He made a point to avoid other people; he had sensed a group of youths early in his travels, just a pack of youngsters looking to get into a bit of trouble, simply having a good time.

He had avoided them, not trusting himself to deal with the situation wisely. If they thought him prey; he was not sure what he would do. In the mood he was in, he might have pulled his lightsaber if provoked.

He chose to avoid that trouble entirely; it was safer, both for him, and for others.

He had had no desire to make this night any worse than it had been.

Of course, eventually, his travels led back to Treasure Ship Row, back to where the Folly was berthed. He still didn't think he was ready to deal with the rest of his crew, but by then he had run out of excuses.

So he had made his way back, he was out of time.

He decided to face the music.

Coop and Randa had already been awake and having breakfast when he stumbled into the galley. Both had the look of a pair of lovers who had just spent an amazing night in each other's arms.

Coop looked a little tired, but was all smiles, his shirt untucked and unbuttoned. Randa had been almost skipping around the table. Normally, she was all business, prim and proper, but in that moment she looked like the young woman she was, a young woman in love with her chosen partner. She had been practically glowing, giggling when Jas had entered, actually singing to herself as she prepared a meal for her and her lover to share, her blue eyes bright and mischievous; her long curly red hair was down, and she was wearing one of Coop's old shirts for a nightgown.

Jas rolled his eyes.

They both looked like they had just tumbled out of bed and were the happiest pair in the known galaxy.

_Lucky them!_

Both had been shocked to see him, first because they had expected him to be gone all day with Prynn, and secondly seeing how messed up he was.

Even without his heavily bandages leg, it was clear that he had been through a fight.

Both Coop and Randa had bombarded him with questions, he refused to answer, at least until he had a cup of strong caf in his hands.

Exhaustion had not set in, yet. He was still feeling the adrenalin from his fight with Fallenstar, he could have returned to his private quarters to rest, but he did not really have the time.

He was to meet with Master Mondar today, and from there, be brought before the Jedi Council.

He did not expect the latter meeting to go well.

He did not speak a word until he downed his first cup of Caf in three gulps, the liquid burned his throat, but he knew he needed it.

What would the council say when he stood before them? What sentence would they hand down to the rogue Force user who had chosen to run from his duties to the order? If he was lucky, he would be banished to one of the Jedi labor corps scattered throughout the galaxy, if he was not, he would be turned over to Cor-Sec and from there, likely turned over to the Kuati, to answer for his role in the attack five years ago.

Either sentence meant that his time among the Folly crew was done.

It may not have been fair, but that was the point.

Life was rarely fair.

It would not be easy, but he needed to prepare those he cared about for what was about to happen. He needed to explain what had happened to Coop; they had known each other for far too long.

He deserved both an explanation and an apology.

Jas would no longer be there to watch his back.

He was sorry about that.

Both Coop and Randa listened as Jas explained everything, his arrival at Prynn's, his encounter with the Jedi Shadow, and the fight that had come afterward. Surprisingly, it was speaking of Prynn that had proved the hardest, the cold manner that she had had after he had rescued her; the wall that had gone up between them.

The numbness left in the wake of that, it was almost more than he could stand.

Coop had said nothing while he had told his tale, a fact he was grateful for. His friend and Captain had grown into the man that Mother Nuna had always hoped and wanted him to be. She would have been proud of him.

He knew what Jas was saying, what his encounter with the Jedi had meant.

Randa saw things…differently.

"I still can't believe you two broke up," she said shaking her head.

"You were so happy together."

"I don't blame her," Jas said looking down into his mug of caf.

I knew I was taking a chance in letting my guard down, and you can see what happened."

He shook his head.

"It was all my fault," he said morosely, "I should have known that I had no chance at having a normal life."

Coop's brow furrowed at his old friend's statement, he may not have agreed with Jas, but he was not going to dispute what he was saying at that moment.

"So how do we play this," he asked his friend, "We can have the Folly up in ten minutes; get as far away from Corellia as possible."

"Running wouldn't help at this point," Jas said with a frown, "The Jedi **know** about the Folly, and now that I've officially been bound in Master Mondar's custody, I must make my report."

Jas sighed.

"If I run, he will chase me, and when we meet again, he will not simply ask me to report to the council, I'll be dragged before them."

Jas looked up with a fatalistic smile.

"If I'm going to have to face them anyway, I might as well do it on the best of terms."

"It wasn't like you chose to get lost in the first place," Coop reminded him, "You didn't ask to be on that ship all those years ago."

"True, but I could have reached out to the order before this," he reminded his friend, "Most Jedi Masters will conclude that my reasons were selfish, and that I put everyone around me at risk by exposing myself to dangerous teachings and emotions."

Jas shrugged at that last part.

"They wouldn't be wrong, I've been tempted plenty of times by the darkness. I am dangerous."

"Dealing with temptation is what life is all about, Jas," Coop said with a snort, "Surely your actions will speak louder than their suspicions."

"The actions of a smuggler," he said dryly, "Yes, I'm sure the council is just going to love that."

"I still can't believe that Prynn and you broke up," Randa said, "You two were so happy together."

Coop sighed.

"Love, I think Jas has more to worry about than his girlfriend, right now. It sounds like the Jedi mean business."

"And what does that mean," she asked, "The Jedi don't just execute people. Surely they will take into account everything that Jas has done in the last few years. It is not like he has become the next Darth Revan."

"But I **could** have," Jas reminded her, "That is what will concern the council. Despite stepping away from the order; I've continued to use the Force, to expand my knowledge of it. I carry a lightsaber and have taken several lives with it."

Jas shook his head.

"The council will see that as a threat."

"And what of the life you have tried to build for yourself?" she demanded, "What of Prynn? Would the order ask you to just throw all that away as well?"

"Prynn is better off without me," Jas said with an angry frown. "She doesn't want to talk to me."

He knew that for a fact because just before returning to the Folly, he had tried to contact her on holo-communicator. She had answered, but it was clear that whatever they had had the previous morning was gone.

She had been polite to him, coldly so, telling him what had happened with Cor-Sec, and that she had just got home, that she needed to clean up a bit before trying to get some rest.

He had offered to come over, to help her, and to explain what had happened, but she had told him that that was **not** a good idea.

She had asked that he not come over, that he not try to contact her again.

Again Jas had felt the cut of what had been lost.

Prynn _**had**_ liked him, she liked bad boys, but he had proven to be a little too bad for her taste.

She had decided to step away. It was a wise move.

He did not blame her for that.

"Prynn is rid of me," he informed Randa, "That is for the best."

"You can't just give up," she said, "Talk to Tessa, and have her talk to Sesca. They are Prynn's friends, surely they…"

No," Jas said cutting her off.

"You can't just give up," Randa repeated, "You don't just give up on…"

"NO!"

Jas could no longer contain his anger, he had shouted at Randa, and the Force had responded as well every piece of silverware on the table before them slid away from Jas, sliding almost an inch without him touching them.

The move startled Randa; she jumped up, and hid behind Coop.

Jas shook his head; again he felt fear from someone he knew.

He hated that.

Maybe the Jedi were right.

He was too dangerous to remain free any longer.

Coop should have been angry with him, furious that Jas had scared his girlfriend, but he was not, he looked at his friend with a sympathetic eye.

"Randa, could you give us a moment," he asked, "I want to talk to Jas alone, please."

"Um, sure," she said in a small voice, her eyes never leaving Jas, no doubt thinking about what he had just done."

She left the galley quickly, not meeting his eye.

Jas shook his head, hating himself for losing control like that.

Randa was a friend.

It seemed that the Jedi were right.

He was dangerous.

"I'm sorry," Jas said in a small voice, "I…I did not want to do that."

"It is okay," Coop said, "You startled her is all, she always knew that you could do stuff like that, but she had never seen it, until now."

Coop sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"Plus, I think she hoped that you and Prynn would stay together. Randa liked the idea of it. Hoped that one day she would be able to sit back and watch as your kids and ours played together."

Jas looked up at his friend.

"Thinking of kids now?" he asked.

"I'm thinking of marriage," Coop admitted, "Randa and I have a good thing going, starting a family is the next logical step, I suppose, but then again, this life is hardly logical, but I'm not going to let you change the subject."

Coop leaned in closer.

"You need to pull yourself together, buddy. You go before the Jedi like this, and they will insist that you be locked up. They will think you're dangerous."

"I am," Jas admitted, "Prynn saw that last night, she…"

"She chose to back away from you," Coop said, "That was her call, **not** yours, and I don't doubt you are hurting like hell right now, but you are going to have to work through that. You have people here that need you Jas. I **still** need you."

"I'm not going to sit back and let you throw away your life, because some girl couldn't handle who you truly are."

Jas looked at his friend with a flicker of anger in his eye. Prynn had been more than some girl, if he had been braver, maybe…

_She could have been so much more._

"I'm not letting you face this alone," Coop informed him, "When you go before the Jedi, I'll be at your side."

Jas' eyes widened.

"Coop! No!"

"They want to know what kind of guy you are? Fine. I'll tell them, and if they don't like it they can shove it out an airlock."

"You can't," Jas said quickly.

"Why not?"

"Coop, you are not exactly a stand up citizen here."

"You don't have to remind me of that," he laughed, "What are they going to do? You think they're gonna arrest me?"

"They could, you were on Kuat too. Remember?"

"I remember trying to save, Mom. I remember you doing what you could to stop the Sunset Collective from hurting any more people than they already had. I remember you being the guy that saved Miss Val and the little queen on Bantoon. The Jedi need to hear that too, it has to count for something."

Jas shook his head, he…he wasn't sure.

He wasn't thinking clearly right now, all he could see was that look of fear on Prynn's face, and a similar look on Randa's.

He didn't think he deserved to remain free. He knew what could happen now, and what kind of enemies he was making…

…Which brought him to cheery point, number two, something that Coop needed to hear as well, it concerned him too, after all.

"I learned something else last night," he told his captain, "Something that concerns us both."

"Yeah, what is that?"

Jas sighed.

"Targo Sei is still alive. He's escaped that rock the clan left him on, apparently turned bounty hunter, and he is looking for us."

Coop's eyes narrowed.

"Are you sure?"

"That girl, Fallenstar, mentioned him, mentioned that he was looking for people involved in the Kuat raid. From what I heard, I'm guessing he has not forgotten, or forgiven, what I did."

Coop nodded grimly.

"Targo always did know how to hold a grudge."

Jas sighed.

That was an understatement and a half.

He has assumed that Coop would be more worried about this.

Targo was not an enemy to be underestimated.

"Did crazy Jedi girl say anything else?"

"Only that she thought he would pay for my head."

Jas frowned down at the table, unable to meet his friend's gaze.

"Are you sure that you want to stand beside me right now. If you're lucky, Targo, Fallenstar, and anyone else that might be looking for me will be content with the knowledge that the Jedi got me. It could save you and Randa a lot of trouble. It is only going to get worse from here, Coop. I'm out of places to run, my name is known now."

Jas sighed.

"I don't want to drag you down with me. Prynn wisely chose to get out, maybe you should too. Take Randa and the Folly and get as far away from me as possible. You have more to lose now, far more than I do."

Jas blinked, he felt like he was about to cry, he hated this feeling, this…weakness.

"Maybe you should do what is best for yourself; get away."

Coop frowned as he listened, Jas could feel his emotions, but he also knew his friend's thoughts. Coop was no fool; he had to know that, on some level, what Jas was saying made sense.

It didn't take long for Coop to decide.

He chuckled and shook his head.

"Someone told me once that you don't get to pick your family. That you simply have love them, and move forward…together."

Coop touched his friend's hand, made him look up at him.

"I didn't get to choose my family. Mother Nuna bought me from a Coruscant work house. I was seven years old, and my parents gave me up, I have no idea why. Mom took me in, gave me a life, and more brothers and sisters than I could count, and I respected them all, even those that I didn't like very much. Though I don't think she realized what she was doing the day she introduced me to you."

Coop smiled at him.

"Most people don't get to choose their family, but **I** did. I chose _**you**_; you were the brother I chose. You are my family, and I love you, and I'm not gonna sit back and watch you throw your life away on some self-righteous, self-sacrifice thing. I depend on you, this crew depends on you."

"I'm not simply going to let you walk way, Jedi or no Jedi, Targo or no Targo. You're stuck with me, buddy, sorry to let you know that, but it is the truth."

Jas laughed, and yet, his eyes burned, must have been something in the ship's air filters. He wiped at his face, stopping any tears before they could fall.

He looked at his friend, his captain, and his brother.

"You sure you want to do this?"

Coop shrugged.

"As I said, you're stuck with me, and you are in trouble."

"Now, let's go find you a way out of it."

Jas nodded, he was grateful, but…

Damn, he thought.

Idiot, he thought, my brother is an idiot.

Thank the Force for that.

IOI

At midday, Jas and Coop made their way through the marketplace in Treasure ship Row. It was here that Mondar had told Jas to go, to meet up with him before they would head to the Jedi Enclave.

Jas Dar Bynn was decidedly nervous. Having Coop here helped, but…

In the end, it would be he that had to answer for what had happened, the choices he had made in the last few years.

He didn't want to see Coop or the rest of the crew harmed by his choices.

Coop looked around the marketplace.

"Any sign of him, this Jedi Shadow guy?"

Jas frowned, he reached out with the Force; Mondar had to be here, unless he was running late. He…

THUMP!

Jas stumbled forward as the heavy weight struck his back, he felt the Force reach out, and steady him, preventing him from falling.

He frowned.

Coop started to go for his blaster, but Jas stopped him with a raised hand.

He sighed.

"Again, Master Mondar," he said, "Really?"

Mondar, the Jedi shadow cackled, once again he was gripping tightly to Jas Dar Bynn's back.

_And again, I play taxi service_, Jas thought.

_Maybe he should ask the little alien to pay a fare._

"Hello again, Jas Dar Bynn," the Jedi said, "Chose not to run, you did. Grateful for that, I am."

He glanced over at Coop, his long green ears rising slightly.

"A friend of yours, this is?"

Jas' friend stood a little straighter, putting the full weight of command into his voice before introducing himself.

It wouldn't be enough to intimidate a Jedi, but it likely made Coop feel better.

"Captain Gabe Cooper of the Coop's Folly, I'm Jas's commanding officer, his friend and clan brother."

The Jedi bowed his head slightly.

"Mondar, am I. Shadow of the Jedi Order."

Coop smirked.

"Aren't you a little short for a Jedi warrior?"

Mondar cackled at that.

"Size matters not," he said.

"I'm not sure that most females would agree," Coop replied dryly.

Jas was briefly concerned that the little shadow would take offense, he need not have worried.

Again the Jedi laughed. Jas felt his little legs kick with amusement.

He felt only humor from the little alien.

_So far, so good._

The Jedi grinned at Coop, tears of amusement in his large brown eyes.

"Like this one, I do," Mondar said to Jas, "Unnecessary it was to bring back up. In no danger were you."

"I'm here on my own accord," Coop said before Jas could respond.

"If your council is intent on judging my first officer, I think they deserve to hear just who it is they are judging, not just some kid they abandoned years ago, but the man that his crew has come to depend on."

Ah," the shadow said nodding, "Wish to give testimony, you do?"

"Yeah."

"Very well," the Jedi said, "Have no problem with this, I do. Help young Jas' case, it might."

He motioned to the right.

"This way, we should go, a speeder is waiting Take us to the enclave, it will."

Jas started walking the little Jedi clinging to his back, and Coop at his side.

He was not quite sure how this was going to go, but it was too late to back out now.

Running had not really been an option.

The Coop's Folly had enough enemies; they didn't need to add the Jedi Order to that list.

He had run for far too long.

The time had come to face the consequences, whatever they might be.

Hopefully, they would not be too dire for his friends…and family.

Jas still hurt, what had happened to Prynn still preyed on his mind, but for the sake of Coop and the rest of the crew, he would work through it.

He would protect them, even Burr. Because that is what you did with family.

You protected them, and stood by them.

No matter what.

IOI

The enclave was not quite what Jas expected. He had figured that Mondar would bring him to one of the Corellian Jedi temples, that he would contact the High Council from there; that had not happened.

The Enclave that Mondar had brought them to was close to the Coronet City spaceport; it likely had begun its existence as a warehouse, or some kind of officer building. The Jedi had taken it over though, and made it their own. The roof had been removed from the main section, turning what had once been a place for cargo into a small park. Trees and plant life were everywhere tended to by Jedi students, children between the age of eight and twelve.

They looked up at the new arrivals as they passed, Jas could sense their curiosity, more because of Mondar's presence than Jas or Coop's.

Shadows did not reveal themselves very often; Jas remembered that from his own days as a youngling at the temple.

When a shadow did appear you knew that something big was going on.

He paused for a moment, breathing in deeply, letting the Force fill him up, and with it, a sense of peace.

Once upon a time, he was like the students here, just another youngling beginning to walk the Jedi path. Being here, being surrounded by Force users again, he felt…a sense of melancholy.

What might his life have been like had he not been lost, he might now have been a knight in the Republic?

Who knew, he might even have taken one of these younglings as a Padawan? One of them might have called him master, one day?

It was an intriguing thought to be sure.

"Jas?" Coop said leaning in close.

"Yeah?"

"Where are all the green robed Jedi, the Corellians, I don't see any of them here."

Jas frowned.

Coop's question was valid, but it made sense why none of the orders Corellian members were here. He should have expected it, and it also explained the close proximity to the spaceport.

"Corellians don't follow the full tenants of the order," Jas informed him, "They're still a part of the family, but they have their own way of doing things. The rest of the order simply agrees to disagree and lets them do as they please, provided they don't threaten anyone else."

Ah," Coop replied, "So the Corellians are like the guy that decided to run off and not marry the girl the rest of the family liked, they are still loved, but distant from everyone else."

Jas smirked.

"Something like that, yeah."

"Like the guys in green even more now," Coop added as they stepped through a set of large double doors.

Jas paused, his eyes drawn to the center of the room.

It seemed they were expected.

The masters were already there, waiting for them.

Okay, Jas said taking a deep breath.

Here we go.


	24. The Verdict

**Chapter 24: The Verdict**

Four Jedi Masters had been assigned to carry out the hearing. Yet, only two were actually in attendance. The first, one of the two, on holo, identified himself as Orgus Dinn, a tough looking Jedi Guardian, Jas had never heard of him, but given the reverence the others showed the warrior, it was clear he was already well respected.

The second master was one of the Corellian Jedi, a knight named Ormond Shadowstone. Master Ormond was dark eyed with shoulder length black hair, his gaze cool and careful.

He watched Jas closely; Jas could almost imagine the man probing outward with the Force, attempting to determine if the young man before him was a threat to his world.

Jas would have offered reassurance if he could, but he doubted the man would accept his words at face value.

Ormond Shadowstone looked like a man who thought that actions spoke louder than words.

The third was a small Jedi with pale white skin and silver hair. At first, Jas had thought her a Padawan of Master Orgus, but when he reached out with the Force he realized that this being was likely stronger than both the guardian and the Corellian combined.

She gave Jas a polite smile, and nodded to him.

He returned it, unsure what the alien woman might have meant.

She offered no clue to what she thought of all this.

The fourth master, here in holo-form, was a familiar face, one that Jas had not seen in many years.

"Master Venari!" he called out with a smile.

"Hello, young Jas," the older man replied, despite entering old age, the Jedi Councilor remained a beacon of the light, the muscles of his arms and chest still showing the tone of a much younger man.

"It has been a long time. It is good to see that you are still alive, and that the Force has finally brought you back to us."

"Actually," Jas said dryly, "It was the Shadow Mondar that brought me back."

The small green Jedi laughed.

"Merely doing my duty, I was," he replied with a shrug, "Time it was that Jas Dar Bynn returned to the order."

Jas didn't quite frown, but he almost did.

He was still not sure if he was truly back among the order, or if they truly wanted him back.

If they were simply going to send him off to hard labor, he would have preferred to have more of a choice in his fate.

Sadly, that was not his call.

The masters would have final say.

Coop leaned in, he had been quiet on the journey over, but now that he was here, his curiosity was starting to get the better of him.

"I take it you know this Venari guy?" he asked.

His old friend nodded.

"He wanted to be my Jedi Master once. Had I stayed with the order, I would have been his apprentice."

"I ended up taking your brother," Venari informed him, his expression thoughtful, guarded.

"Sy has been a good student, but I believe that you would have exceled under my tutelage."

Master Venari shook his head.

"It is a shame that I never got the chance to teach you."

Jas shrugged.

"My loss is Sy's gain," he said.

"I suppose it is," the master agreed.

"Is he with you? Does he know about this hearing?"

"He knows, Jas," Venari responded, "We are currently at the temple on Coruscant. He sends his regards, and his gratification at hearing you are well."

"Please give my brother, my regards," Jas responded, "It has been far too long since we have seen each other."

"I will," promised the older man, yet, Jas sensed something that surprised him.

He sensed that Venari was not being entirely honest with him, about what, he could not say.

He would have thought that Sy Dar Bynn would be at his master's side for this hearing. Jas was his twin after all, his identical twin.

Has the situation been reversed, Jas certainly would have wished to be there.

He could only speculate why his twin was not here, but in the end what did it matter?

If Jas wanted a brother, all he had to do was look behind him.

Coop was here for him, he understood the value of family.

Jas was grateful for that.

As the highest ranking master, Brandol Venari called the hearing to order. Jas and Coop introduced themselves, and Master Mondar filled the masters in on what he had faced in brining Jas here. When that was done, Coop gave his testimony, informing the Council of what had transpired between him and his clan brother these last ten years.

When that was done, it was Jas' turn, the council demanded answers, and he needed to give them.

Jas sighed.

He hoped that they were willing to listen, to understand.

What he had faced in the past. What he had needed to endure.

He took a deep breath, and began. The councilors sat back and listened.

As the afternoon drew on, Jas Dar Bynn told his tale.

After years of silence, he stood before the masters and told his tale. Clan Nuna, Targo Sei, the Sunset Collective, the Attack on the Kuat Drive Yards, and anything else he could think of that came in between. He touched a bit on his life on Corellia, and his work with the Coop's Folly crew. He wanted, no, he **needed**, for the Jedi to understand the reasons why he had chosen to walk the path he had.

He had no desire to be taken away from the life he had built for himself these past few months. Even with what had happened with Prynn, he had still not entirely given up hope.

That did not mean that he was willing to offer up everything, however. Some things he kept to himself. He told the Jedi nothing about what had occurred between him and Char Valenthyne and he downplayed his relationship with Prynn Pelar, not because he was ashamed, but because what he had felt, what he had _**desired**_ was his and his alone.

He would not expect a Jedi Master to understand, the need that had been awakened him, the desire for a life beyond what the Jedi Code could offer.

_The light alone could not completely fill a person's needs_, at least that his how he had come to think of it.

Plus, what he had had with the two women, what he had experienced with them had been deeply intimate and personal. He was not about to share such feelings with strangers, no matter how strong in the Force they might be.

Another Jedi might have called that way of thinking selfish, those and the choices he had made. He did not think that the council would accept his decision to avoid the Jedi Order after his split from Clan Nuna.

Some Jedi might consider such a decision to be criminal; and driven strictly by personal desire, but that simply wasn't so.

Many of the choices he had made had been out of a desire to help those that he had come to care about. He had endeavored to protect those around him, _**his**_ people. Gabe Cooper and the rest of their crew was the closest thing to family that Jas had ever known.

_He had owed it to them to use his powers to keep them safe. He made no apologies for that._

The Jedi let him talk. They seemed content to sit back and let him speak. When they did have questions; he did his best to answer.

Jas still hoped to win them over, or at least, come to accept his answers.

They seemed intent on listening; at least he hoped that they were listening. He was grateful to see that the full Council had not been convened on this matter, he feared he might not have had the will to stand up to all twelve of the high masters had he been forced to face them alone. Venari still served on the council, he figured, he was not sure about Orgus Dinn, but it was likely that both men served in the highest level of the Jedi Order.

"Yours is an interesting tale to be sure, young Jas," Master Brandol Venari had said at one point.

"That is one way to put it, master," he agreed

"I do hope that I can make you understand, my reasons for staying away all this time, and accept that the choices I made were for the best, both for me and the order."

"That remains to be seen, young one," Venari responded, "The facts in this case appear to be quite clear. You **have **continued your studies in the Force without guidance, causing harm to others by those actions and choices."

Venari's expression was grim.

"It is most unwise to walk the path to power without guidance; far too many students have lost their way when making such an attempt, and in their failing; suffering has come to all around them.

Jas did not know how to respond to that, it was clearly a rebuke, but one disguised as a generalization.

It did set the tone for how the masters saw him, however.

It was a tone that Jas did not entirely like.

"I only did what I deemed necessary, master. I did not seek out power simply for power's sake."

"So you say," Orgus Dinn chimed in, "Yet you have admitted that you have heard the call of the darkness?"

"I have master," Jas bowing his head, "I'm ashamed to admit it, but I was tempted."

"Yet, resisted temptation, he did," Mondar said, "No fool this young man is. Tempted by the easy path, is not the same as giving into it, yes."

Jas almost laughed.

When he had first met Mondar, he never would have thought that the little shadow would be the one to serve as his advocate during this hearing.

The irony was not lost on him.

"Wisely said, Mondar," the alien Jedi said with a soft smile, her voice more musical than most.

The green skinned shadow smiled.

"Thank you, Master Vey," he said bowing his head, "Always welcome, your praise is."

Jas looked at the alien with new eyes.

By the Force!

"Vey Ilo?" he said, "You…you're Vey Ilo?"

"I am," the woman said, "I take it you have heard of me?"

"History has heard of you master," Jas replied.

He shook his head; he still couldn't believe it.

Vey Ilo was here.

When he was a youngling, he had heard something: "There were legends in the Jedi Order, and then…there was Vey Ilo."

Master Vey was rumored to be the oldest living Jedi. She had been the Padawan learner to the legendary Odan Urr, the Jedi Master that had founded the great Library world of Ossus. It was said she was a thousand years old, maybe more. She had fought in the War of Exar Kun as well as the war against Darth Revan. She had survived the Jedi Massacre on the Miraluka world of Katarr, and after nearly a decade in isolation, been returned to the order by another Jedi legend, the bounty hunter turned Jedi Knight known only as Mira.

Jas had heard of her, but had never met her until this moment, he had expected some ancient looking shriveled thing, but Vey was anything but, she could have passed for a human teenager, all she would have had to have done was hide her short pointed ears.

She isn't ancient, he realized, she was _timeless._

And now…she was here, helping preside over his case.

He wondered what had prompted that.

Vey was supposed to have lived like a hermit, and had done so for years. She could have served on the high council but chose to let younger masters have that spot.

It was rumored that she thought that her long life had made her out of touch on certain matters, preferring to let those who grew up in the current world take the lead, with her offering advice only when needed.

An interesting view of the world, one that Jas had to respect.

The questions continued, mostly from Masters Orgus and Venari. Vey kept her own council, commenting only when she wished a clarification on this matter or that; Master Ormund of the Corellians said nothing at all.

Jas caught his gaze a few times, but the green robe said nothing.

He could only guess what that meant.

Jas tried to maintain his composure during the whole affair; to appear serene, and focused on the job at hand, though he feared that it would not matter.

Despite anything he could say, he would likely **still **be considered just another rogue Force user.

Jas just hoped that the masters had not already made up their minds about him. Perhaps this was all a mistake.

If they had already decided on a course of action, then everything he was saying did not matter.

He tried not to think about that. He still wanted to believe in the Jedi Order, in their sense of justice, and conscience.

He _**needed**_ to believe that.

"I still can't believe you allowed this to happen," Master Ormund said, addressing Mondar.

"Despite your mandate, you allowed a dangerous Force user to slip through your fingers."

Mondar huffed, and turned his head to the Corellian.

"Jas Dar Bynn is here, is he not? Slipped through my fingers, he did not."

"I'm not referring to this man," Ormund responded, "He, at least, seems to have control over his powers. I'm referring to the renegade Padawan you let escape."

The Corellian's eyes narrowed.

"You didn't even try to take this Mirax Fallenstar into custody. You did not even deem it wise to inform me and mine of her presence. A killer with such undisciplined Force powers has no place here on Corellia."

Mondar's gaze turned cold, he clearly did not like being accused of not doing his job.

"Troubled, Fallenstar is, that I will not deny. Yet, still in possession of her moral code, she is. Saved the kidnapped girl, she did. Aided Jas Dar Bynn she did."

Jas frowned.

_She had also tried to kill him for the bounty,_ he had not forgotten that.

Fallenstar **may** have had a moral code, but it was twisted, the pain of losing her master had changed her.

Jas could not blame the Corellian for being a little bit annoyed with the shadow.

Fallenstar was unpredictable, dangerous.

Perhaps it would have been better had she been arrested, or killed.

"Pursue Fallenstar, I will," Mondar promised, "offer to help her. I shall."

"And when she refuses," Shadowstone asked, "What happens when she starts blaming the order for all her troubles? What happens if she starts taking out bounties on Jedi? The thought of a Force Sensitive Jedi slayer on the loose does little to inspire trust in those of you that live outside of the Corellian system."

"That is not fair, Master Ormund," Vey said to her colleague. Fallenstar isn't the first Jedi to have drifted from the path. She needs our understanding and guidance, not our scorn and fear."

Mondar sighed.

"Deeply troubled, Fallenstar is. Not lost to the darkness is she, not yet. Blames herself for what happened to her master, she does. Needs our compassion she does. Help her, we can."

"Masters," Venari called out, "May we please return to the matter at hand. Fallenstar is a future problem. Jas Dar Bynn, however, is **here **_now_. We must reach a decision on this matter."

"An easy enough choice," Master Orgus said, "Jas Dar Bynn has clearly used his powers for personal gain. His lightsaber should be taken, and he should go to the labor corps, there we can watch him, and make sure that he remains committed to the light.

Jas tried not to tense up. He knew that sentence was a possibility, still it was a lot better than being locked up, at least this way he would remain a force for good in the galaxy.

"Forgive me, masters," Coop said stepping forward, "I understand your concern, but my first officer has done little to warrant such punishment."

"Coop," Jas said, "You're going to have to let this go."

"I don't give up that easily," he answered, his eyes once again turned to the masters.

"You have all heard what Jas here did on Kuat, how he tried to save lives, even though he knew it would likely be him that got the blame. Then again, on Bantoon, he risked his life for the queen and her protector. He convinced us to help him get them to safety, which we did."

"Were you convinced, or compelled, Captain Cooper," Venari asked.

Coop gave the Jedi a cool look.

"Jas didn't need to **compel** me. He is my friend, and my brother, and he is a valuable member of my crew."

Coop sighed.

"If you must take his sword, fine, but let him remain where he is. We can watch him for you; prevent him from going off course. You have my word as both his captain and his friend, we will watch over him, he will not be a threat to you; you have my word."

Venari sniffed arrogantly.

"I'm not sure letting Jas Dar Bynn remain with smugglers is a good idea. The violence of such a life may turn him into something dangerous."

"He has resisted temptation so far," Master Ormund said.

Jas was surprised that he man would speak up for him; he had not said much during this whole hearing.

"If he decided to stay here on Corellia, my people _could_ help him, **train** him." The Corellian promised, "He has already shown a willingness to help Corellia. Why should he not be allowed to do so?"

"And in doing so, you gain a potentially powerful new member," Venari said shaking his head, "Your ambition is showing again."

The Corellian glared at the senior Jedi, but did not let himself get baited into an argument.

He was too smart for that.

"I may not know the man, but I know the potential the boy possessed," Venari said meeting Jas' even gaze. "If he is allowed to continue his studies, he is only going to grow more and more powerful. He will still continue to be tempted by the dark side of the Force, and if we let him go now, we might just be creating a deadly new enemy."

"I believe you are selling him short, master Venari," Vey Ilo said, she gave Jas a warm smile.

"You say that you are worried about what he will become. You see only a threat, while I see an opportunity."

Vey gave Jas an appraising look.

"He reminds me a bit of Zayne, and that is not a bad thing."

"Zayne Carrick was a product of a different time," Master Orgus reminded her, "we cannot say if Jas Dar Bynn has that same potential."

Coop leaned over towards Jas again.

"Who is Zayne Carrick," he asked.

Jas sighed.

"A hero who lived some three hundred years ago," his friend answered, "He found himself cast out of the order, forced to live on the fringes of society. It should have broken him, but it didn't. He ended up helping stop a Sith Lord, the dark one had planned to take control of not just the Sith, but the Jedi as well."

Jas shook his head.

Yes, he had heard of Zayne Carrick, he just never saw much of himself in such man.

Zayne had been a hero; he had fought beside the order, even after they had cast him out.

Carrick had been a hero.

Jas was…well…just Jas.

He was no one special.

"An interesting point, Vey makes, yes," Mondar said, "Felt the changes in the galaxy, I have. Felt it, I'm sure you all have."

The shadow sighed, his long ears dipped slightly.

"Changing, the galaxy is. Sense it, we all do. Something moving in the shadows, there is. Remains hidden, it does, illusive, not show itself, it will."

"Yet, it is there," Vey added, once again her timeless eyes falling on Jas.

"We have lost something, my friends," Vey continued, "The ability to move silently, to walk in places that a Jedi is not expected to. We are too sure of ourselves at times, and that can be dangerous."

"The Republic is stronger than it has ever been, Vey" Orgus reminded her, "Surely we would sense any danger before it surfaced."

"I wish to believe that Master Orgus, I truly do, but experience has taught me something else. I was there when the dark side sorcerers known as the Krath threatened the galaxy. I was there when Ulic Quel Droma decided to leave our side, and attempt to take them down from the inside."

Vey shook her head.

"We had no idea what he would become. We had no idea that Vodo Baas' Padawan, Exar Kun, was walking in shadows, exploring the mysteries of the Sith, and growing stronger in his arrogance, anger, and hate."

The little Jedi shivered.

"The next time that either stood before the rest of the order was after both men had declared themselves Dark Lords of the Sith. Exar Kun murdered _**my**_ master, and inspired so many other Padawans to do the same, to recreate the so called Golden Age of the Sith."

"The Sith are gone, Vey." Venari reminded her, "They died with Revan and Malak, and the few dark lords that tried to hold on after the destruction of the Star Forge."

Vey pinned Venari with a hard look, her gaze as cold as durasteel.

"Do NOT underestimate the power of the dark side. Exar and Ulic thought themselves strong enough to resist and they failed. I'm sure Revan and Malak thought the same, and look what became of them."

Jas was not sure what to make of this conversation, the turn his hearing had took.

Was Vey saying he was a threat, or that he could help them find, and stop, a threat?

"Aren't you making our case as to why this man should be bound, Master Vey?" Master Orgus asked, "If he is out on the fringes, he could fall."

"He could walk in places that we cannot," she replied, "I'm not asking that we make Jas Dar Bynn a full Jedi Knight, I'm asking that we trust him, that we ask him to be our eyes in ears in places that we cannot tread."

"Yes," Mondar said nodding, "Move more freely than us, young Jas can. Talk with people, that will not hear our words, he could."

"So you want him to serve as a spy," Venari said.

"I want him to continue to be a smuggler, as he has already proven that he can be," she said, "Take this business with this Sunset Collective. Their agents would hide from a Jedi, but a smuggler might be able to learn more about their comings and goings."

Jas stepped forward.

"I have left several anonymous tips over the years, master. The few times that I did hear of the collective's movements, I tried to let the order know.

Vey nodded a soft smile on her face.

"You see, the young man already understands the duties I would ask of him, but now I must ask, you, Jas Dar Bynn.

"Would _**you **_be willing to help us?"

Jas was surprised to say the least.

_It seemed tha Vey and Mondar had a very specific idea about his future. Perhaps they had even discussed this before the hearing, they…_

Vey smiled warmly at him, and in that moment the Force revealed something to Jas, something he knew with a certainty.

It was **her**, he realized, **she** was the Jedi Master that sensed his presence here on Corellia, it was **she** that had drawn Mondar here!

"If young Jas is willing," she continued, "I would see him offered the same status that the High Council offered Zayne Carrick all those years ago. If he is willing, I would like that he serve as an Acolyte of the Jedi order, I would ask that he watch for us, and report anything strange that he might find in his travels."

"A risky move, Master Vey," Venari said, "Ulic Quel Droma tried something similar, and he fell."

"I'm not asking that Jas Dar Bynn try to infiltrate the Sunset Collective, I ask only that he watch, listen, and report. He continues to live his life, and serve his friends as he always has, but now…he has a greater purpose as well. He can keep us informed of what is going on in the fringes. He might even help us stop a problem before it becomes too large for this order to manage."

"Take a closer look at this Sunset Collective, the shadows will," Mondar promised. "This former Jedi, the one calls herself the Hand of the Faith should be investigated if nothing else."

"I'm still not convinced," Master Orgus said, "I don't like the thought of sending off someone with such potential to wander the path of the Force alone. Jas will be tempted out on the fringes. He could still lose his way without guidance."

"Then we assign him a master," Ormund Shadowstone advised, "Someone to offer advice when needed, and provide addition training where it is required."

Venari nodded.

"It is…possible," he murmured.

He turned to Jas Dar Bynn.

"Are you willing to accept this charge, Jas? It would allow you to remain where you are, to remain with your crew."

Jas blinked.

He…he couldn't believe it!

He had come in here with little hope, but now the Jedi were offering him a life line, a chance to return to his life.

_Yet, they will still have a leash on you,_ the cynical part of his mind reminded him, _you will be there agent, bound to the will of whatever master they assign you._

That was true, but at the same time…

"I'm willing, masters," he said, "I will take up this calling, if you allow it."

Vey smiled.

"It is decided then," she said sounding very pleased.

"We still need to assign him a master," Orgus Dinn said, "Who would choose to take over such an unusual assignment?"

"Willing to do so, I am," Mondar said, "Studied Jas Dar Bynn, I have. Offer both insight and training I could."

"I'm sure you would do famously, old friend," Vey said, "But I'm afraid that you are needed more as a shadow, if the darkness is moving again, we will need the shadows to prepare for when it finally decides to show itself."

The ancient young Jedi shrugged.

"I made the suggestion; I should take up the calling."

She smiled at Jas again.

"I take Jas Dar Bynn as my student, and will serve as his master and advisor for the duration of his mission."

The ancient Jedi's words shocked her fellows.

"You, Vey?" Orgus said.

"You have not taken a Padawan in decades?" Venari added.

"The time has come again," Vey Ilo said jovially, "I'm sure that no one here doubts my ability to carry out this task."

She turned to her new student.

"Do you accept me as your teacher? Will you allow me to guide you on this journey?"

Again, Jas was almost speechless.

To learn at Vey Ilo's feet, to study from one of the most legendary Jedi to still draw breath.

"I would be honored, master," he said, "I'm willing to learn, if you will teach me."

"Then this matter is closed then," Master Venari said clasping his hands, "Jas Dar Bynn will serve as an acolyte of the Jedi Order, and Vey Ilo will serve as his guide and master."

He turned to Coop.

"Captain Cooper, your first officer will need a means to stay in contact with the order, and you can expect him to leave your service from time to time, to report his findings to the council."

"I think that I can arrange something," Jas' friend said with a nod, "Though there is another matter that needs to be discussed before we all go our separate ways. Namely the bounty placed on Jas' head for the Kuat attack. Hunters found us once, they might do so again."

"Understood, Captain," Master Orgus said, "We shall speak to the Kuati, convince them to pull the bounty on the Jedi that was seen during the KDY attack."

"Inform the Kuati we will, that handled, the matter has been," Mondar offered, "The one that they seek, gone he is."

"Thank you, masters," Jas said with a bow, "Thank you for your understanding."

Vey bowed her head respectfully.

"The Force moves in mysterious ways, my student. I do not know why that you were meant to be apart from us for so long, but perhaps it is the will of the Force that you find your way back into our service. Perhaps we can learn as much from you, as you can from us."

"Let it be so," Master Venari said.

He looked at Jas.

"I will inform you brother of your new status, you should expect some form of contact from him in the future; I'm sure. For now, I wish you good fortune in your mission, and wish you well in your training. May the Force be with you."

"And with you, master Venari," Jas said bowing again.

"Meeting adjourned," Orgus Dinn said.

Both he and Master Venari vanished, their holograms faded from the chair, leaving only Vey and Ormund Shadowstone behind.

The Corellian was the first to rise; he walked up to Jas and put a friendly hand on his shoulder.

"You should consider stopping by our temple. You will find that our branch of the order is not as…restrictive as our friends on Coruscant."

"I will try," Jas promised as the master left the chamber.

That left only Vey, Mondar, Coop and Jas behind.

The shadow smiled up at Jas.

"Trust Vey, you can. Long has she studied our way, and understands that not everything can be summed up by the dogma of our order."

"Plus I like a challenge," she said to her newest student, "and I suspect, my young friend, that I your training will not be as straight forward as others."

"To say the least, my master," Jas said.

Coop came up behind him and gave his shoulders a friendly squeeze.

"So we won," he said, "The Jedi will take care of the Kuati, and we're free to go about our business."

"And Jas is now free to continue his training," Vey added, "It is not often a person can find the best of two worlds, but in this, I think it is possible."

Jas nodded, though, he was not entirely sure.

The council would still be watching him closely; he would not be nearly as free as he had been. Plus, he suspected that his days of looking for a life beyond the order were done, the Jedi would not accept his search.

He sighed.

It was good that he and Prynn had ended. He would likely have needed to end it himself.

Once again, Jas Dar Bynn belonged to the Jedi.

He should have been happy, had this happened before Prynn, or even before Val he would have been more than happy, but now…now…

He took a deep breath, and began to put aside his needs and desires. They would not serve him well in his role as a Jedi Acolyte, or as a member of the Coop's Folly crew.

He no longer had time to worry about love and other such nonsense. The Jedi had given him a mission, they had offered leniency because he was useful, and he had a duty.

He would need to focus on that from now on.

_There was no emotion, there was peace._

_There was no passion, there was serenity._

_There was ignorance, there was knowledge._

_There is no chaos, there is harmony._

_There is no death, there is only the Force._

The code of the Jedi, that was his way now, perhaps it always had been. He had been an idealistic fool to think otherwise.

Jas pushed his emotions back, prepared for his new life.

He let go of the idea of a normal life.

He was a Jedi.

The time had come to act like it.

He had his duty; that is what mattered.

His duty…and the Force.


	25. Five Years Later

**Chapter 25: Five Years Later**

The lizard men of Falleen had a saying.

Cold was better.

It was an idea That Jas Dry Bynn had come to embrace in the last five years. It had been his emotions that had led to trouble, that had brought him nothing but pain and lost.

Now, he had dealt with that problem, accepted the serenity and peace of the Jedi.

_There was no emotion, there was peace._

_There was no passion there was serenity._

Words to live by, words that he had _chosen t_o live by.

He brought his tiny shuttle out of hyperspace, returning once again to PB-4416, the forest moon that had become the base of operations for the Cooper/Halcyon organization. He transmitted his clearance code, and awaited the response to the ground team.

He sighed.

_Wake up down there, already_, he thought with a frown.

_I'm going to be late._

He would need to speak with the ground team, let them know that such sloth was not acceptable. The organization needed to remain light on their feet. He would consider replacing those that did not shape up, there were always eager men and women looking to move up, and no one was irreplaceable.

Once he would have balked at such an idea, given the people down there another chance, _now_ he knew **better**. It was easy when one evaluated the situation with the ice cold eye of serenity and peace.

The organization, like the Jedi, required someone with no attachments to remain strong.

Jas Dar Bynn had been a fool to have ever doubted that.

He brought the ship down through the atmosphere checking his dress robes one last time. He didn't like changing in the cramped shuttle, but there was no reason to panic the new associates by turning up in Jedi garb.

Order had to be maintained, and that was what Jas had come to bring to the group in the last five years.

Order.

The situation with Prynn had taught him a valuable lesson. The Force was too strong an influence on a Jedi's life. He had been foolish to believe that he had ever had a chance at a normal life. A wife, children, and a stable home, these were attachments that only caused him more pain. So he had let go of such wants, focused on his training and the needs of the Cooper/Halcyon group, he remained Coop's right hand and helped oversee their rise. While at the same time continued his duties as a Jedi agent, seeking out those that were a problem for the order. He redirected those that he could, but was not above reporting major problems to Coruscant. The Jedi had won several victories because of him in the last five years, and rivals to the organization had been neutralized.

It was an agreeable arrangement for all.

When the ship finally touched down, he rushed through the final checklist, finishing twelve minutes' worth of work in six. He did not have time to waste. He was already behind schedule, and on the verge of being late.

He could not afford that, not today, he had promised Randa, and he always endeavored to keep his promises.

He drew on the Force and rushed past the ground team, a black blur that no one noticed. It was rare that he used his Jedi abilities here, normally he preferred to keep his two lives separate, but today was not an ordinary day.

This was a **major** event for the organization, another big step, eight of the twelve smaller organizations that had operated close to them for years were here, ready to sign on.

This day needed to go without a hitch.

As he rushed, he placed his earpiece in, the one that gave him a direct link to base communications and security. Coop would be busy today, and would likely need his friend to keep an eye on things, make sure that no messes sprang up.

Jas was more than capable of doing that, he had carried out such duties with ease; Coop knew he could depend on his clan brother to keep the world rotating.

Although, he was not entirely happy with Jas' choices in the last few years, at least where his personal life was concerned; the changes that Jas had gone through had not passed unnoticed.

Coop was not sure that he agreed with them.

IOI

"You have changed, buddy," he had said one night, "And not necessarily for the better."

"Have I failed the group in anyway," Jas had asked, "We've become more profitable than ever since moving here. I thought you would be pleased with that."

"Oh I'm pleased, your work as my second has been great; you're a boon to the organization…"

Jas' eyes narrowed.

"But?"

Coop gave him a sad smile.

"But…the organization is the _only_ thing you have now, it's not healthy. Work is all well and good, but what about your life, Jas? What are you doing to benefit you?"

He had shrugged, a curious question.

"It is not like we have not been busy, he reminded his captain and friend, "Between that, and my work with the order, there has been little time for anything else."

Coop sighed.

"I'm willing to grant that, but at the same time. You are not the same guy you used to be. You avoid associating with the rest of the crew, except when your duty calls for it. You never speak unless it is to give an order or a rebuke. Those of us that have known you for a long time have seen that change, and it has been getting more and more noticeable.

"I'm not sure if it is the job or the Jedi stuff that the little lady you call master is teaching you, but I…I barely recognize you anymore, I'm concerned, that is all."

"Your concern is unnecessary," Jas said with a respectful bow, "I've merely embraced the serenity of the Jedi. Emotions can be dangerous for one such as me, just as they are in our group. My training allows me to do my duty without it, and I'm sure you cannot doubt the results, our profits show it."

"Yeah, I'm sure they do," Coop said, still sounding unconvinced. He walked up to his friend and gave his shoulder a friendly squeeze.

"Personally, though, I miss the passionate do-gooder that was always making issues where there weren't any."

Coop laughed.

"You got us into trouble, but it was usually for the right reasons."

Jas frowned.

_There was no passion, there was serenity._

"We were lucky;" he said flatly, "What I'm doing now is safer, more certain."

"Whatever you say, buddy."

'Whatever you say."

IOI

Through his earpiece, Jas listened to the sea of reports coming in from the guards and the rest of the staff; the gathering today had the whole base in an uproar.

It would take all his skills to keep things on track, but first he had one small duty to perform, a necessary one.

He checked the chrono on the wall, he had just made it. The Force had paid off again.

He might have smiled, but it was unnecessary.

Smiles were just tools now, something to put others at ease.

He had no time for them personally.

_There was no emotion, there was peace._

He made his way to the executive quarters, the one reserved for the higher ups in the organization.

He came to a large fishi wood door and knocked.

"Randa?" he called out, "It is time."

"Um can you come in for a moment, Jas," she called back, "I'd like to talk to you."

He sighed.

_Damn it_, he thought with a hint of irritation.

_What now?_

He opened the door, Randa Halcyon stood before the mirror in the quarters she shared with Coop, clad in a fine silken white gown.

The red haired mechanic had tears in her eyes. He did not sense sadness, but a mix of emotions, both positive and negative.

"Are you okay," he asked, "Not getting cold feet are you?"

"No," she said shyly, "I just wanted to let you know that…that I'm grateful for this, for what you are doing today."

"It is no problem," Jas said with a polite bow, once he would have said more, tried to put the girl at ease, but he no longer saw the point.

She was not going back out, not with so much riding on this. Randa was a smart woman, and knew the importance of symbols in the organization.

The final binding of the Cooper/Halcyon group was a major step forward, especially after all the chaos in the underworld these past few months.

Many smugglers were looking for strong leadership and direction. Direction that was surely needed after Boss Ganner Tyntas had died.

Coop and Randa _could_ supply that direction, provided they showed that they were capable of handling it.

He offered the girl his hand, she took it and he led her out into the hall, techs and guards made way, they also understood the importance of this day.

Randa looked up at him; he could sense concern, despite the jitters she was feeling.

"Are you okay," she asked, "You seem…distant."

Jas smiled, just to reassure her.

Vey and I were out hunting for the Sunset Collective," he informed her, "We arrived too late. The leaders of the group **had** been where we were searching, but we missed them by several days. Their followers managed to destroy a food production center, another suicide run, no survivors to be questioned."

"Oh Jas, I'm sorry," she said.

"Those deaths were unfortunate," he agreed, "But the security droids seemed hopeful that we might find some evidence of the collective's next move. We found their abandoned base. Master Vey promised to contact me when she learns more."

Randa frowned.

"So it was just…_unfortunate_ then? It was just another missed opportunity to catch up with your old enemies?"

"What else can I say," he replied with a shrug, "We got there too late."

Randa made a face; she clearly didn't like his answer.

Jas did not know what to tell her.

"What about the _people,_ Jas? The families that lost loved ones in that attack? Don't you care about them?"

'Of course, I care," he responded, "The only way those people are going to find justice is when the First Speaker and Hand of the Faith of the Sunset Collective are dragged before the courts in chains."

"That is the Jedi talking," Randa said, "I want to speak with Jas Dar Bynn for a moment."

He frowned.

He got the feeling that Randa's requests to have him walk her down the aisle today was not motivated entirely by her wish to have a friend close.

Clearly, Randa had another agenda.

"Coop put you up to this, didn't he?"

"He asked me to speak to you, yeah. He is worried about you."

She smiled, a smile that quickly died when he raised his hand to his ear, she realized that he was listening to the security feed.

"Can you please take that thing out?"

"Someone has to keep an eye on things."

"The group is not going to fall apart because you stopped listening to reports for five minutes. Gillespie is more than able to handle things while the ceremony is going on."

Jas did not deny that.

Jonas Gillespie was a recent addition to the crew. He had run a group of two ships before Tyntas had fallen apart; he was one of the first of the old group to sign on with Coop.

He was capable, Jas didn't deny that, but at the same time, Jas preferred to remain hands on while he was here.

He might pick up on something that Gillespie might miss, especially with so many strangers in the base for the wedding.

The young bride shook her head.

"I was hoping that you would take advantage of this day. I want you to try and enjoy yourself. You should speak with the people we have working here now, they're good folks. Your presence has not gone unnoticed."

She smiled.

"Several of the young ladies here have asked about you. You might find one of them agreeable, if you tried."

Jas frowned.

_No thanks_, he had learned that lesson.

Only a fool repeated the same mistake and expected the same result.

He had no chance at a normal life. The Force wouldn't allow it. It had offered him no comfort except for duty after he and Prynn had broken up.

_No_, he thought, he had accepted long ago that there was _no_ hope for him.

No chance at him having more than what he had now, and to the point, he knew that he should not want more than what was offered.

_Such ambition could lead to the darkness._

He didn't wish to trouble Randa with that outlook, not today, she was not a Jedi and would not understand.

So, he smiled for her benefit.

"I've been far too unlucky in love," he replied, "I would not risk hurting anyone else because of my…inadequacies."

Randa gave his arm a gentle squeeze.

"You shouldn't give up," she advised, "So…you and Prynn didn't work out, that is no reason to abandon any chance of finding happiness. Who knows, a girl is likely out there right now, waiting for you to come into her life."

He pursed his lips.

If that was so, he felt sorry for that girl.

All he could offer was sadness and pain.

No, he had made up his mind, realizing the truth years ago.

He would not put anyone else through what Prynn had gone through.

That part of his life was over.

It was done.

He led Randa into the base's central chamber; the guests had all been assembled here to bear witness to the ceremony. A priest had come in from the Hillard, the only settlement on the planet.

Coop smiled as his best friend and his bride entered the chamber.

Jas felt the surge of nervous love from the girl on his arm.

He smiled.

"Sure you don't wish to back out," he asked dryly, "You can take my ship; this is your last chance."

She giggled nervously.

"Too late now," she said, "I'm afraid he is stuck with me."

Coop beamed as Jas handed the girl off to him, a husband taking his new wife into his arms.

Jas took his place beside Tessa Calican and Shusk on the dais. He listened as the priest began the rites of marriage.

Jas smiled.

It had been a long time coming, this marriage, but he thought it would be worth it. His two friends deserved to find a bit of happiness.

_It is something that I will never have,_ he realized, feeling a surge of bitterness, but those emotions passed quickly.

He took a deep breath, and let them flow out with it.

T_here was no emotion, there was peace._

IOI

The wedding of Coop and Randa was party of some magnificence. Representatives from both the underworld and Jas and Randa's more legitimate concerns had shown up to offer their well-wishes to the happy couple.

Jas Dar Bynn moved among them, still listening into his earpiece. Keeping watch on things both with his own eyes and the Force.

He didn't expect any trouble here, but it was wise not to be careless. The surviving members of the Tyntas group were still fighting over their dead master's scraps. Any one of them might have decided to take a shot at Coop, just to try to appear bigger in the eyes of their followers.

Security was pretty tight here, though, Jas noticed, Burr had done a good job. The various smuggler captains that had been invited nodded to Jas as he passed by, recognizing his role within the organization, and what it meant for their continued safety.

Of their legitimate concerns, Jas saw only underlings among the well-wishers, the people that Coop worked directly with could not afford to be seen at such a gathering, it might give certain officials the impression that they were up to no good.

Jas and Coop both understood that. It would not do for a Republic Senator to be seen here, even though he did count on the organization to feed certain…interests. The various pages and secretaries had offered their employer's well wishes, and got to enjoy the food and music offered by their host, and his new bride.

Jas paused as he listened to a report about a packing crate being found unsecured, he did not stop listening until security cleared it of anything suspicious.

He sighed with relief.

He would need to speak with the unloaders in that section, inform them that leaving unsecured cargo was **not** acceptable.

There was enough risk in their lives without courting more. The flux of violence running through the smuggler community right now was unpredictable.

It was best to stay on top of things.

Jas made his way over to the bar, a familiar presence had caught his attention. He was a bit surprised that SHE would show up here, but perhaps he should not have been.

The woman was a bad credit, she always turned up.

"Hello Fallenstar," he said coolly, "Enjoying the festivities."

Mirax Fallenstar turned, her wide eager smile beaming across her face. Unlike most of the other guests, she had not dressed up for the occasion; she still wore her leather coat, and long red skirt, her blonde hair still ruthlessly hacked.

"Well, what do we have here," she purred as her eyes ran down his body.

She smiled lasciviously.

"Don't **you** clean up nice."

Jas did his best not to hide his disapproval. He could smell the cheap lum on the girl, her emotions raging just below the surface.

It was most disappointing how far she had fallen, pun intended. This girl had once been on track to be a fine Jedi, now…she was **this!**

The Padawan turned bounty hunter tottered unsteadily on her feet. It was clear that she was drunk, and did not really care.

"It seems that you are enjoying yourself." He said.

"I do that where ever I go," she said, "Far better than simply waiting for the council to tell me what to do."

Jas did not comment on that, Fallenstar might have known about his mission, or guessed, she was quite clever, when she was not pickling herself with cheap booze.

He managed a cold smile.

"Perhaps you would like to lay down somewhere," he offered, "I can see you to one of the guest quarters.

She smirked. She adjusted the way she was standing, revealing one long and shapely leg.

"How forward of you," she said, "And hear I thought you didn't like me, and now you are offering to take me to bed."

If she thought to make him uncomfortable, she was more foolish than he thought.

He sneered at her.

"Merely trying to keep you from embarrassing yourself, and the order to which we both belong."

If she was angry or insulted she didn't show it.

She laughed.

"Wow," she said, "The order certainly sunk their hooks deep into you. You are even starting to sound like one them, the dear masters who advise us sooo well."

She sneered.

"My master was like that too, right up until she was killed, killed by the very same people we had been sent to protect."

She leaned in closer to him; he felt her warm breath in his ear.

"They aren't worth it," she whispered, "Take my word for it."

He didn't dignify that with an answer.

He knew who and what he was.

He didn't need some drunken failure to shake his commitment now.

Fallenstar tried to totter away on her unsteady feet, and nearly tripped; Jas caught her and guided her out of the room.

Nope, he would not be leaving her to pass out on the floor, or to make a scene.

Off to one of the guest rooms with her.

He didn't bother to look at Coop and Randa as he passed by, they would guess what he was doing, and they certainly knew how he felt.

He had not been pleased when he heard they had reached out to this woman, not only because she had been part of the group that had hurt Prynn, but because of what she had represented, and what he expected his old friends had used her for.

He couldn't prove anything, but he had strong suspicions.

About a year ago, Randa's father had passed away; the man had long suffered from an ailment after being exposed to a coolant leak aboard an old tramp freighter. Randa had spent much of the previous two years caring for him, making sure that his businesses continued to run. She and Coop might have married years ago if not for Randa's need to see to her father.

After his passing, things had gotten worse, there had been an explosion at the Halcyon garage on Ord Mantel; Randa would have been there when it happened, had she not been seeking comfort from Coop at the time. The garage had been a total loss; twelve or Randa's people had been killed. Coop had his friends in high places investigate, and they had turn up bomb residue.

It was not hard to guess who might have been behind such an attack. Ganner Tyntas had held an extreme dislike for Randa and Coop since the whole Bantoon thing.

They suspected he was behind it, and evidence seemed to point that way as well.

Jas had not been there, he had been off training with Vey. So he had not been able to advise his two friends, or talk them out of what had happened next.

Shortly after the explosion, Boss Tyntas had turned up dead. He had been eating at a local cantina when it had happened. The chieftain had choked on his game bird, and died.

The medical droids had tried to save him but they had arrived too late. An examination of the body showed the man's air ways were clear. Immediately talk of poison had begun to spread. Most of the blame fell on one of the local Hutts. Tyntas' lieutenants could not imagine anyone else would have the guts to strike at their boss directly.

Jas had learned later that Fallenstar was on Ord Mantel around the time of Tyntas' death. He could prove nothing, but the girl **had** been there, and in the immediate aftermath of the man's death, she had begun to stay at the base full time.

Jas had not wanted to believe that his two friends might have had a hand in the man's death, but he was too much of a realist to discount it.

He had been disappointed with them both.

Had Tyntas tried to have Randa killed? Maybe. If so, they should have come to him. He could have gotten the Jedi to look into the matter. Tyntas could have been brought before the courts, there was no reason to have Fallenstar intervene, if she even had.

It was only a suspicion, of course, but it had caused some distance between to the two clan brothers, and led Jas to becoming colder towards him.

He had been disappointed in Coop; he thought that his friend knew better.

Jas helped the drunken bounty hunter to one of the guest quarters, she murmured to herself as he did, nonsense really, though he thought she might be speaking about her master, and what had happened to her years ago.

Jas pitied the girl, what she might have become had her master not been lost, had she decided to return to the order instead of running off on her own.

It was…sad.

He led her into the room it was dark, but that was no problem, he maneuvered her to the bed.

She giggled, and wrapped her arms around him, one long leg hooked his.

"Just accept it," she slurred smiling up at him, "You want me."

Jas shook his head.

"What I want is to be out of here," he said coldly, disentangled her arms and legs.

She fell giggling onto the bed.

Jas shook his head as he took off her boots, trying to make her more comfortable.

He went to put her bare feet up on the bed when she started to snore, loudly.

He sighed.

Poor creature, he thought.

If only the Force had been kinder.

He left without another word, there was no need.

He feared that there was no helping her, and that she was lost forever.

It was most disappointing.

She had had so much potential.

He could of returning to the wedding, but thought against it. His encounter with Fallenstar had left a bad taste in his mouth.

He wanted to return to his quarters, meditate, and put this day behind him.

He had done what was expected; now he wanted to clear his head.

He had not gone two steps when his earpiece crackled; someone was trying to reach him on his private channel.

He sighed.

His work was truly never done.

"Yes," he said.

"Jas, it is Figgy, can I have you come up to comms, please."

"Problem?" he asked.

"Not sure, can you come up here, please."

"On my way," he sighed, trying very hard not to feel annoyed.

If it was not one thing it was another.

Coop and Randa's worries. Fallenstar's presence, now Figgy was being all mysterious.

It took all of his Jedi calm to remain in control, to remain focused and serene.

_Cold was better._

He let that be his mantra as he made his way back through the facility, towards the comm room.

_Cold was better._

IOI

He made his way past several technicians, Figgy was at the main console, one of the few of their original crew not at the wedding, but that did not mean that he had not contributed.

The band playing here were his relations, **his** brothers.

It was a thoughtful gift, even more so because the Bith were actually talented.

It had been a decent wedding gift.

"What is it," Jas asked, "What have we got?"

"We have a small one person craft in orbit," Figgy informed him, "it has been over head now for the last six hours."

Jas frowned.

"Six hour?"

"Yes."

"And you didn't think to tell anyone?"

"It wasn't broadcasting any signals, and it is too small to be a threat, scans suggest it is a long range scout craft."

Jas glared at his friend.

"And I repeat," He said, "You didn't think to tell anyone."

The Bith hissed a sound of annoyance.

"I thought it just another smuggler craft and it was not like it could see the base from orbit, the trees here block any visuals, and the moon's magnetic field makes scanning damn near impossible."

Jas shook his head; that was all true, still…

Damn it Figgy!

You should have told somebody.

If the ship was a scout, a larger vessel might be on its way. They would need to start the evacuation of the base. It would ruin the wedding, but at least the guests would be safe.

Jas sighed and reached out with the Force, he tried to touch the ship overhead get an idea of the threat it posed. It…

He paused.

He sensed the pilot, a single humanoid, and more importantly…the pilot sensed him.

He knew who it was!

It was a presence he had not felt in years.

Jas' eyes narrowed.

Great, he thought.

Another annoyance today.

"Hail that vessel," he ordered Figgy, "Open a channel, no scrambler."

"You sure," the Bith asked, "They may not know we're here."

_They know,_ Jas thought,

_In fact they have been waiting for **me** to respond._

He shook his head.

Damn it.

"Channel open," Figgy said pressing a button on the console.

Jas picked up the mic.

"This is Jas Dar Bynn to unidentified Republic vessel. We have you on sensors, and are not willing to ignore you anymore. Don't be shy up there, brother, say hello."

The comm crackled.

"Hello Jas," a very familiar voice responded, "I wondered how long it would be until you realized I was here."

Jas Dar Bynn shook his head.

"There was no reason to wait," he said, "If you have something to discuss you could have contacted me directly through Master Vey Ilo."

"Sadly, this is not Jedi business, not directly anyway. I have a proposition to bring to your employer, brother; may I have clearance to land?'

Jas was about to deny it, he had no desire to fulfill his fellow Jedi's desire to make an entrance, or to disturb their guests.

"I'm sending you landing coordinates, you will proceed to the settlement of Hillard, and I will meet you there."

"Is that really necessary? I know your base is down there, I can sense it in the Force."

"It is necessary," Jas insisted, "head to Hillard, I will join you soon."

"As you wish," the pilot said, "I will see you soon, brother. May the Force be with you."

The transmission ended.

Jas sighed.

_Now_, he thought, _why now?_

He took a deep breath.

_There was no emotion, there was peace._

"So we got a Jedi coming here," Figgy said, "Another one of your brothers."

"Not just another Jedi, or another of my brothers, this is MY brother, Figgy."

The Bith tilted his head slightly.

"**Your** brother?" he asked.

"Yeah," Jas said, "His name is Sy Dar Bynn."

He…is my brother, my **twin** brother."

Jas shook his head.

_There was no emotion there was peace._

_Damn it brother_, he thought.

_Damn you._


	26. The Proposition

**Chapter 26: The Proposition**

The village of Hillard was the only real settlement on the planet known as PB-4416; though perhaps village was too strong a word. There was a small spaceport capable of handling three medium sized freighters at a time, beyond that there was a single store, a med center, and a cantina. The people of Hillard kept these places running, offering aid to the weary travelers that found themselves out this far. The few people that considered themselves natives to the world eked out a living trading with the various smuggler and pirate groups that frequented this part of space. The planet had long been a haven for people that had not wanted to live under Republic rule, choosing to hack a life for themselves out of the rough environment that made the planet so enticing to outlaws

Even now, during the Age of Expansion the small world had managed to garner little attention in the galactic community. Though rich in lumber the world was a bit too far from the established hyperspace routes to draw too much attention, and the planets natural magnetic fields and soil content made most space to ground transmissions difficult.

Which combined to make PB-4416, or Pee Bee as the few locals called it perfect to be turned into a smuggler's nest.

The Cooper/Halcyon group was not the first to settle here, and they likely would not be the last. The hidden landing bays and storage structures had already been fabricated long before Gabe Cooper had decided to move his base of operations out here. No one could say why the previous groups had left, either they had been defeated by competitors or brought down by law enforcement, none could say.

The settlers had welcomed Coop and his people with open arms. A large group like theirs served the citizens better than smaller groups that might see Hillard as prey rather than a resource. Coop had happily thrown more than a few credits around, knowing that it would buy good will from the settlers, and help secure his hold over his new home base.

One of his first acts had been to expand the local cantina. He had paid handsomely for the buildings reconstruction, turning it into something more than a poorly lit room with a few tables and chairs. He had paid for the old place to be scrapped and rebuilt, bringing not only a bit of civility to Hillard, but new jobs as well. Now the place resembled a proper spaceport drinking establishment. The first floor serving as a bar and gambling hall, the second for tending to spacers'…**other** vices, and the third serving as an office and apartment for VIPs that the organization was courting, people that Coop wished to impress but did not trust yet with the location of his main base.

Many clients had passed through its walls since the group had moved here. Jas had even acted as host to more than a few of them. He was seen as a respectable representative of the organization, and knew how to put new clients at ease.

It was to this apartment that Jas Dar Bynn brought his brother. The Jedi's long range scout vessel had drawn a few stares when it had landed, but the sight of Jas, a major figure within the group calm much of the anxiety a vessel with government marks brought.

The Republic was not well loved out here, most of the people that settled on Pee Bee were not eager to see a Republic ship arrive so openly, not liking what such an arrival might mean.

Jas spread a few credits around, just in case. He had no desire for his brother's presence to cause any trouble.

For his part, Sy Dar Bynn did not seem to understand the reason for all the concern, or attention. He was here, after all, simply to do business.

Was that not the reason that everyone came to PB-4416?

On the speeder ride from their main base, Jas had felt…_conflicted_ to say the least. He had not seen his brother in years. This sudden arrival had left him…shaken.

He tried to remember his Jedi calm, to remain focused on the job at hand. Denying his emotions had become easier and easier as the years had gone on. It had taken a while, but had finally reached the level of serenity that most Jedi his age aspire to.

_There was no emotion, there was peace._

He was not about to let his brother's arrival ruin that. He would not let it take away all that he had accomplished.

He had worked too hard for that.

He had brought Shusk along for back up, just in case. The little Chandra Fan had been curious to say the least, he had not known that Jas had had any siblings, much less and twin brother.

"Are you very close?" the little alien had asked, ""On my homeworld, family groups usually are."

"We have not seen each other in almost fifteen years," he informed his friend, "The last time we saw each other the ship we were on was blowing up around us. He was reaching out to me from an escape pod, urging me to hurry."

The old memory made Jas shiver, it was strange, he was not that nine year old boy anymore, but at the same time…the fear and anger from that day threatened to overwhelm him.

_I was his brother_, he thought, _we shared a womb together, came into this world together, bound through the Force…and…and…_

Jas' frown deepened.

…_and he abandoned me. He __**ABANDONED**__ me!_

The thought came before he could stop it, years of pain and anger tried to surge forward.

It took all his will to deny it.

How many times had he reached out with the Force? How many times had he tried to find the bond he and his brother shared, far too many to count.

All those attempts had met with silence, and failure. Even now, Jas had a hard time sensing his brother through the Force; it felt like a wall had come up between them, a wall that he did not understand.

When they had been small, Jas and Sy Dar Bynn had been almost inseparable; they had shared a bond so strong they could talk without speaking. They had known each other's thoughts and wills.

And yet…in the years since his return to the order, Sy Dar Bynn had not reached out once for his brother. Jas had tried several times through the temple on Coruscant to speak with Sy, but always his requests had been met with silence, or polite refusals and apologies.

_Your brother is currently not available acolyte._

_He is on mission, but your message will be relayed._

After the second year, he had stopped trying, and now, out of the blue, Sy had tracked **him** down.

Jas was curious to know why.

They found him standing outside the spaceport, unmistakable in his Jedi robes, the brown and cream colored garments stood out among the armor and simple clothing of the locals.

Sy, by all definitions looked like the perfect Jedi; he radiated a sense of calm and confidence. His short black hair was cut in a similar style to his brother's; the only difference between the two was the goatee that Sy had grown. Jas had had a beard once too, but had shaved it shortly after he had arrived on Corellia. He had sought to change up his features every so often to avoid detection by any hunters that might have been searching for him at the time. It hadn't worked out in the end, but he had never bothered to grow it back.

Plus, Prynn had preferred him clean shaven.

Despite their separation, he had not forgotten that.

Again Jas reached out to his brother through the Force, he sensed his presence, and a greeting of sorts, but still, Sy reminded closed off to him, blocking his full entrance into his mind and emotions.

Jas did not push things; his brother likely had his reasons for any distance he chose to keep.

He respected Sy's wishes.

Still, it took all of Jas' self-control not to begin hurling questions at his sibling. What had happened fifteen years ago? Why had he not sensed that his brother had survived the ship wreck? Why had he continued to ignore all of Jas' attempts to reach out?

Again, he held that desire in check, putting the interests of the organization first.

Perhaps, when this was over, they would have a chance to talk.

Jas brought the speeder to a stop in front of his sibling, Sy smiled as he leapt from the vehicle.

"Brother," he said bowing respectfully.

"It has been far too long."

Jas resisted the urge to sneer.

That statement was…putting it mildly to be sure.

"Hello, Sy," he said returning the nod, "You look well."

"The Force has been most generous to me, brother," he replied with a merry smile, "My star has risen quickly among the order. Many now seek my counsel and wisdom in dealing with various disputes."

Jas nodded, but could not entirely kill a sense of envy.

What might have been still haunted him sometimes. How would his life have turned out had he, and not Sy, been Master Venari's apprentice. Would many people be seeking out his advice and aid?

He tried not to let it bother him; the Force had needed him to walk a different path than Sy. What he was doing was important work, despite his distance from the rest of the order.

Jas tried to remember that, he was an important part of the Cooper/Halcyon group, or at least, he had been.

After the business with Tyntas and Fallenstar, he could not help but wonder what else was Coop and Randa hiding from him, what other secrets and decisions had they kept for themselves, and left him out of the loop?

_Stop it,_ his conscience chided speaking in the voice of Master Vey, _you cannot change what came before, my young Padawan. You need to keep your thoughts on the here and now where they belong. _

Jas nodded to himself.

Yes, he needed to focus on the moment; Sy would not have sought him out without good reason.

He needed to find out what it was.

Shusk marched right up to Sy, and offered his paw in greetings. Though his brother shook it, Jas got the feeling that his brother was disappointed.

"Problem," he asked, "I can sense your displeasure."

"It is nothing," Sy said with a frown, "I expected your employer to come himself, what I have to say is not for underlings."

Jas returned the frown.

Underlings?

Sy smiled.

"Oh I meant no disrespect, brother. Merely commenting on the fact that what I offer today is important, I thought that your captain would understand that, a Jedi coming to meet him in person."

"Captain Cooper and I are partners, brother, I have full authority to handle such meetings, but I will contact him by holo when we reach out destination."

"Excellent," Sy said clasping his hands, "I'm certain that we can come to a most beneficial understanding. Not that I doubt you, Jas, far from it. You have clearly risen quite high in your organization, what role do you fill now? Major Domo? Advisor? Henchman?"

Again, Jas felt his temper trying to spike, and again he pushed it down.

"If you seek to test my Jedi calm, you are wasting your time, Sy. I've achieved serenity."

"And I'm so glad to hear it," he said with a respectful bow.

Sy's smile did not falter.

"It is a rare honor that you have brother. Vey Ilo had not taken a Padawan in decades; to learn at her feet is something to be treasured."

The other Jedi sighed.

"It is a shame that she does not use her position more. Giver her life and wisdom, she could have been named grand master of the order, yet, she chooses to live apart from the rest of us. BY choosing to live like an exile, she does little to advance the order. It is a shame that she doesn't understand this.

Jas did not bother answering his brother's question.

Vey's reason to remain apart from the order was a sound one. Yes, she had achieved great knowledge and skill, but she understood that that knowledge was to teach, not command. Like her late Master Odan Urr, she recognized that it was wiser to allow the shorter lived races to lead, it was _their_ worlds, _their _challenges, they were more in touch with their people, she was…something of a relic of the past, a wellspring of knowledge, but she feared she was not truly part of their worlds. She would not seek to impair their growth by forcing her wisdom upon them, if they sought her knowledge and experience; she was there, but only to advise, never to rule.

Jas accepted her choice; he wished his brother would do the same.

He didn't call Sy on that fact; he had no desire to start an argument, not in the middle of the streets of Hillard. His brother said they had business to discuss.

Jas was eager to get to it.

"Shall we be off then?" Sy asked, "Time is of the essence."

Jas sighed.

He had not been prepared for Sy's…arrogance? Surely his brother could sense he did not need to test him.

_Maybe it is not about you,_ he thought to himself, _maybe it is about __**him**__. Sy always liked to feel like the smartest and best person in the room._

_Maybe he is trying to knock you down a peg or three?_

It was possible, he supposed, but he would have hoped that Sy had outgrown such behavior.

_He was already a full Jedi Knight, what __**more **__did he want?_

Jas and Shusk returned to the speeder, with Sy jumping in behind them, a man of means with his driver.

Jas shook his head, and pushed back a sense of annoyance.

_There was no emotion, there was peace._

He sighed.

He hoped to conclude this business quickly.

As far as reunions went, this one was not going well.

This business had better be important.

Hopefully Sy wasn't wasting their time.

They had a business to run, after all.

They did not have time for childish games.

IOI

The image on the holo comm shivered as Coop appeared before them, sitting in the throne like seat he used to impress to new clients, the leader of the Cooper/Halcyon organization smiled when he saw Sy Dar Bynn for the first time.

"Incredible," Jas' old friend said shaking his head, "Astonishing, isn't it Randa?"

Randa Halcyon-Cooper stepped into the holo field, still clad in her wedding dress.

"It is like looking at Jas in a mirror, isn't Coop?"

"It is indeed," he agreed.

Jas frowned.

Looks could be deceiving, he thought.

Jas and Sy Dar Bynn might look alike, but being around his brother for twenty minutes had taught him that they were anything but.

It was an enlightening experience.

Sy seemed to find fault in anything that his brother had accomplished. He viewed his decision to remain apart from the order as a mistake, and thought that Jas should have begged the council let him back in.

If he was impressed at all with what his brother had earned within his group, he did not show it. Sy seemed to radiate contempt for the Cooper/Halcyon organization, viewing them as a necessary evil, fringe elements that only had their place because they might be of use to the Jedi.

Jas had needed to hold his tongue several times during this meeting.

If anything, this was proving to be an excellent test for his mental and emotional conditioning.

He tried to look at it as the test that is was proving to be.

It made things…bearable.

"Captain Cooper, at last," Sy said bowing respectfully, "I'm Sy Dar Bynn of the Jedi Order. I come before you today with an offer from the Senate of the Galactic Republic."

"An offer from the Senate," Coop said with an arched smile, "And a Jedi errand boy to deliver it as well? It must be very important."

If Sy took insult to being called an errand boy, he did not show it, not openly.

Jas did feel a brief shift in the Force though; it seemed that he would not be the only one that needed to practice self-control today.

He would have to thank Coop later for that.

"We must apologize for not meeting you in person, Master Jedi," Randa said, "As you can see, Captain Cooper and I have recently married."

Sy smiled.

"Many blessings upon your day then, and May the Force look kindly on your union."

"Thank you," Coop said, "But Jas did say something about a business arrangement, some kind of proposition that you needed to discuss?"

"Right to business then, excellent," Sy said, "I trust that you will be amenable to what I have to offer Captain. The Republic truly needs your help, and is willing to pay handsomely for it."

"You have our attention, Master Jedi," Coop said gesturing, "Please continue…"

Sy smiled, to Jas, it seemed that his brother thought this matter was settled, and that he had already won.

Jas was not as willing to grant that yet, he wanted to hear the proposition for himself. It must have been big to have drawn Sy all the way out here; to face his brother once again.

It must have been most important, indeed.

"Among my other duties as a Jedi," Sy began, "I serve as liaison between the Senate and the Order, advising several committees. A matter has recently come to the attention of the Senate, a problem that if, left unchecked, could lead to a civil war on one of the Republic's member worlds. This matter must be dealt with swiftly, and, in seeking an answer, your name came up, Captain. I was hoping you could help us."

"Intriguing," Coop said, "But I don't see how I could be much help, Master Jedi. I'm simply a humble trader; planetary politics are beyond my scope."

"Normally, I would say the same, captain, but my agents inform me that you are already involved, hence my presence here."

"Already involved," Coop murmured, "And how did that happen, pray tell?"

Sy Dar Bynn grinned.

"The Senator that approached me represents interests in the Affon system. You've had some dealings in that sector, I've been told, and you might just be what is needed to diffuse a dangerous situation."

Jas' brow furrowed.

Affon?

As far as he knew, there was **no** senator for the Affon system; it was a gas giant with rings, no indigenous life. The sector was a mess of singularities, nebulas, and proto-stars, hyperspace travel there was difficult, the closest inhabited planet was…

Jas' eyes widened, he looked at Cooper, who nodded, likely coming to same conclusion.

Coop smiled at Sy.

"I think we both know that this is _**not **_about the Affon system, Master Jedi, and now I know why you have sought me out.

Coop chuckled.

"Your friends in the Senate are having trouble with the Little Queen aren't you? This visit is because of the mining guild, you are here about Bantoon."

Sy smiled.

"Your insight serves you well, Captain. Though I do not know who this "Little Queen" is you are referring to, I've been sent by the Senator for the Affon system, in which Bantoon is a member, and at the request of Queen Adira II of Bantoon. _**She**_ has requested the aid of the Jedi, and we have offered our help."

"Help," Jas said with a frown, his thoughts turning to an eleven year old girl, and her beautiful sworn protector.

_Val,_ he thought, _Vess?_

_What kind of trouble have they gotten themselves into now?_

"Bantoon has suffered much recently," Sy informed them, "a faction of nobles on the planet have risen up and been fermenting rebellion against their rightful queen. They believe that a young girl currently living on Alderaan is the last living heir of the previous queen. This girl, obviously an imposter, claims to be the child of Annara V, a daughter that died with her mother in a space ship accident seven years ago."

Jas held his tongue.

_Rightful Queen?_

_Vess…an imposter?_

"An imposter, you say," Cooper said with a hint of a smile, "How interesting."

"Isn't it thought" Sy agreed.

Jas said nothing.

His memory was drawn back seven years. Of a little girl sitting on the deck of the Coop's Folly, shivering and mourning her mother, of wrapping his coat around her, and watching her smile shyly. He thought of Char Valenthyne, the fierce warrior that stood at her side, and…

Jas shifted uncomfortably.

He thought of Val standing before him in his quarters, wearing nothing but a look of desire, a need that only he could fulfill.

"Love me, Jas, please."

He shivered and looked away.

_Val._

He…

_He did not need this right now._

"And who is behind all these problems?" Coop asked Sy "Must be someone important to warrant Senate attention.

"A disgruntled member of the former queen's security force," the Jedi responded, "A convicted thief and murderer that the old regime had thought reformed. It seems that she has not, now she has graduated to greater heights of evil, becoming an anarchist, pushing this girl off as her former mistress's daughter."

Coop's brow furrowed. Jas could feel his anger and annoyance growing.

_Business was business_, but Coop **did** have friends.

They had not known each other long, but Jas thought that Coop considered Char Valenthyne a friend.

He did not like it when people spoke poorly of his friends, of those that he trusted.

Jas certainly didn't.

"Is it possible that this guardswoman is telling the truth, brother," Jas asked, "What if the girl is who she says she is?"

"Unlikely, given the fact that the rest of her family perished on their space yacht seven year ago, they were lost on the way to a trade summit on Coruscant I was told."

Jas already knew the last part; Val had told him the night they had been together. It was the cover story offered by the usurpers who stole Vess' throne and murdered her parents.

Now, those same usurpers were asking the Jedi for help.

Jas did not like that; he did not like that at all.

"Queen Adira _**is**_ willing to accept that this poor girl may be her niece, but cannot allow this cabal of criminals that now control her to gain a foot hold on Bantoon," Sy continued, "The Republic has many interests on the world. Those interests must be protected."

"So the mining guild has asked for the Republic to protect their interests?" Coop asked.

"The Senator of Affon has asked; the Jedi Order is only doing what it can to prevent a civil war from breaking out."

Jas considered what he was hearing.

It was an interesting choice naming the Senator of Bantoon as Senator of the Affon system, it might not have seemed like much, but it _**was**_ important.

A planetary senator had to be born on the world in question, a sector senator could be from off world, which meant that a mining guild representative could hold the title, and probably did.

Corporations could not hold a place in the Senate, not that several lobbyists had not tried to get them that right. Stories of those attempts had been broadcast over the holonet for years. Mega Corps like Czerka and the Mining guild could have become almost unstoppable if they had been granted senate seats.

So far, the Republic had blocked those attempts.

Jas hoped they _always_ would.

"What does the rightful Queen of Bantoon want with us," Coop asked, "As I said we're merely traders."

"Yet you do have a connection with the would-be queen and her guard," Sy said, "that makes you very valuable.

Sy nodded thoughtfully.

"You have had dealings with House Rist of Alderaan, yes?"

"A few," Coop admitted.

"House Rist is the family shielding the girl and her bodyguard. If you were to go to them, convince the girl to meet with her aunt, to sign away any rights she might believe she has to the throne of Bantoon."

Coop gave him a cold smile.

"I thought you said the girl was an impostor?"

"She likely is, but some of the nobles on her homeworld believe that she might be their lost princess, that is enough to cause trouble. If she was to agree to meet with the Queen, bend the knee, and accept the way that things are, that they need to be…"

Jas' eyes narrowed.

He had heard enough.

"So you admit the possibility that the girl's claim might be genuine?"

"It is possible, brother, but it is also irrelevant. As I said the Republic counts Queen Adira as an ally, a **valued** ally. Plus, the Jedi are guardians of the peace, we cannot have a Civil War breaking out on Bantoon, disrupting the needs of the Republic as a whole."

Sy gave him a proud look.

"You must look at the larger picture, brother. Bantoon is a valuable prosperous world, it has benefitted greatly under the firm but gentle hand of its queen, would you throw that into chaos by putting an untrained child on the throne, risking countless deaths in the process?"

"Yet, if the girl's claim is genuine…?"

"Once again, irrelevant, the needs of the many take precedence, brother. Even if the girl did survive the accident that claimed her parents, allowing her aunt to continue to rule is for the greater good."

"Or the lesser evil," Coop said with a frown.

He glared down at Sy Dar Bynn.

"Let me ask you a question, Master Jedi. What if the death of the girl's parents wasn't an accident? What if your trusted ally arranged those deaths? What if she and her allies murdered the previous queen so that they could profit from Republic aid?"

"That would need to be investigated of course."

"And the results of that investigation would need to be buried or ignored, after the fact," Coop said with no small hint of distaste, "As you said, it would be for the greater good. You would willing reward a murderer and usurper for her crime, and protect her from being punished by those that she wronged."

"Is that the Jedi way, brother?" Jas asked, "To reward acts of evil, because they are politically advantageous, the Jedi are supposed to be examples of something better than that."

"Did you not hear what I said, Jas. The Republic needs this. The girl is likely an imposter, an imposter that is being shielded by a murdering thief, a murderer that might have had a hand in the previous queen's death, you can't just."

"CHAR VALENTHYNE IS NOT A MURDERER!"

The words had come unbidden; they had spilled out of Jas' mouth before he could stop them, as did his anger.

How dare Sy accuse Val of such crimes? He didn't know her.

Jas did.

Sy looked at his brother with cool grey eyes. Jas sensed his disbelief turn to amusement.

"It seems that Master Vey had not yet taught you to control your emotions, brother. Such an outburst is unbecoming of one who has been trained in the ways of the Jedi."

Jas didn't respond; he didn't need to…

His brother was not wrong. It was beneath him.

He had lost control.

Vey would have shaken her head in disappointment.

Sy was baiting him, that much was true, but Jas had risen to that bait. He should have kept his emotional distance.

But this was different, a part of his mind said, this was Val.

He needed to defend her.

Jas sighed, and pushed his emotions back down.

You are right, brother," he said, "I need more control."

"There is no shame in admitting that you have flaws, Jas. Now you just need to work to eliminate them."

Sy Dar Bynn turned back to the hologram of Coop.

The Republic cruiser Righteous will be arriving on Alderaan in two weeks. If you would be so kind as to speak with House Rist, convince this poor girl to accept that things must stay the way they are; then the committee for trade will see your group well compensated for your trouble, Captain Cooper."

Sy beamed happily.

"This is truly for the best," he said, "Now, I shall take my leave. Good day, Captain, brother."

He bowed to Jas.

"May the Force be with you."

Jas returned to the bow, feeling like a fool for losing his temper.

Stupid, he thought, that was stupid.

Sy left, no doubt feeling like he had won a victory this day, but why.

Jas shook his head.

Why did his own brother need to feel like had beaten him?

It didn't make sense.

IOI

"Are you okay, Jas?"

He took another deep breath, and pushed his emotions back down, back where they could not influence his judgment.

He was back in control.

"I'm fine, Randa" he said coldly, "Perfectly fine."

His friend's bride gave him a look that suggested that he was anything, but.

Jas ignored it.

He turned to his friend and partner.

"What are we going to do about this?"

"Not sure," Coop said scratching his chin thoughtfully, "We could use the Republic contacts, and the credits."

"I meant about Vess?" Jas said.

"So you two do know the girl that Master Sy was referring to?" Randa said.

"Yeah," Coop answered, "We were the ones that took the Little Queen and her protector off Bantoon. He brought her to Alderaan."

"After nearly being killed several times by assassins," Jas added.

"That too," Coop said with a nod.

Randa looked quickly between the two men.

"Wait a minute, Bantoon? That was the world you went to on your first job for Tyntas, that is why the boss kicked us out?"

Coop nodded.

"Technically, we weren't kicked out."

"We were _ostracized_, but that was it," Jas added.

Randa shook her head.

"I've never known a Jedi to lie. Is it possible that your brother is right, Jas? Could you have been lied to by this guardswoman?"

Jas frowned.

"If you had met Vess, you would not need to ask that question, Randa."

Jas Dar Bynn shook his head.

The business man he had become would have said that they should not get involved in this. What did it matter that Bantoon was going through some growing pains. It wasn't their affair; they were smugglers, not Jedi. They should let the order handle this. The organization had a business to run.

Then again, Jas thought.

Was he not a part of the Jedi order?

Did he not have a responsibility to see justice done?

He had been the one who had gotten involved in the first place. He had plucked Vess from that alley. He had stopped Val from killing herself when she realized that her queen was dead.

Was he not responsible for this?

Should he not seek to help, if he could?

He turned to the hologram of his friend and clan brother.

"I will leave for Alderaan tomorrow," he informed him, "If you could contact House Rist for me, let them know that I'm coming."

"We're not getting involved in this Jas," Coop said flatly.

Jas blinked.

"It is not worth it," Coop said dismissively, 'We aid the Republic, we risk angering the Rist, and if we aided Vess, the Republic would make things difficult for us. I don't see the profit in helping either of them."

"This is not just about the Rist," Jas reminded him, "Coop, this is Vess, this is Miss Valenthyne…we can't just…"

"The Rist are protecting them, Jas, they don't need us."

Jas frowned.

"So we turn our backs on our friends now?" he asked, "You would leave that poor girl to face the Republic, the mining guild, and the Jedi Order all by herself?"

Again, Coop shrugged.

"This isn't our fight, business always must take precedence."

Randa seemed surprised by her husband's stance, but nodded.

"He is right, Jas, you are the one that is always saying we need to focus on what is good for business."

Jas winced.

That was true…but…

Val.

Vess.

"You…you are right, you are both right," he said in a cool monotone.

He turned to his two friends, his partners.

"Besides," he said, "You have a honeymoon tour coming don't you, no need to interrupt that."

"I guess," Randa said.

Coop nodded.

"I trust that you can keep things spinning until we get back?"

I'm sure Jonas will do a fine job in your absence," Jas promised.

"Jonas?" Coop said, "What about you, where will you be?"

"I think that I'm going to take a leave for a while; there are some business interests that I've been meaning to look into."

"A leave," Coop said, "But you just got back from your training?"

"That was Jedi stuff," Jas said dismissively, "This will be work for the organization."

Jas flashed a cold smile.

"I'll be back before you know it. No one will even notice that I'm gone."

Randa smirked.

"This business would not take you close to Alderaan, would it?"

"Only if I need it to," he replied.

Coop sighed.

"You're not going to step away from this, are you old buddy?"

Jas shook his head.

"I'm responsible. I started this by bringing Vess to the Folly. I need to see it through."

Coop nodded.

"Very well," he said.

"I will need a ship," Jas said, "May I take the shuttle again?"

Coop chuckled.

"WE will be taking the Folly," he told his friend.

He turned to his bride.

"How would you like to start our honeymoon on Alderaan, love, they have some lovely resorts."

Randa smirked.

"You never intended to let this pass, did you? You knew Jas would want to go, and already decided to join him."

Coop gave his friend an appraising look.

"Jas has been all business for so long, it is refreshing to see him act on emotion again for once; you think I would let that pass unmarked."

Jas sniffed.

"This has nothing to do with my emotions, Coop. I'm responsible for what happened on Bantoon. I owe it to Vess to try and help her."

"Whatever you say, old buddy," his captain said.

Coop leaned back in his chair.

"What was that about Miss Valenthyne being a thief and a murderer, was that just some story the Bann told the Jedi or…"

Jas winced.

Val had told him that tale in a moment of weakness; he was not sure if he should share it now, but if it came up again.

He sighed.

Coop needed to know what they were getting into.

"Val's parents were master thieves, they trained her to follow in their footsteps, she was on the job, it went bad, and people died."

Jas pursed his lips in distaste.

"Whatever she did, she paid the price for it. What her people did to her. They **altered** her Coop, tortured her, brainwashed her, programmed her like she was a droid, you saw that back on the Folly. Whatever she did in the past, she has more than made up for it. She…"

"WAIT A SEC!"

Randa grinned; she looked at Jas with excited eyes.

"This…Miss Valenthyne was it? She…she is Val, isn't she? She is THEE VAL?"

Coop's brow furrowed.

Thee Val?

He did not understand.

Randa was grinning from ear to ear.

"She and you got pretty close, didn't you, Jas? No wonder you want to help her. No wonder."

Jas looked at his friend, who was now looking a little uncomfortable in his chair.

He frowned.

"I didn't realize my personal life was a topic of conversation between you two."

"Don't blame, Coop," Randa said quickly, "You know how I worry about you, hon. I was happy that you found some happiness with this woman, it gave me hope.

Jas rolled his eyes.

Hope, he thought.

What was that?

He knew his future.

He was a soldier of the Force.

His future was to serve.

"How do you want to do this," he asked his captain and friend.

"Hurry back, Jas. I will contact Dorma Rist; let her know that we are coming and that your brother is coming."

"The Folly will be able to lift off tomorrow morning," Randa promised, "My ground team will make sure of that."

"You want to come?" Jas asked, "I…thanks, but I wouldn't want to interrupt your honeymoon."

Randa grinned.

"You think I would miss the chance to meet the mysterious Val? Not a chance."

Jas rolled his eyes.

Wonderful.

Coop chuckled.

"You sure that you are ready for this, pal?"

Jas sighed.

It didn't matter if he was ready or not.

Though…it would be nice to see Val and Vess again; it had been…seven years after all.

Damn, he realized.

Vess would be a young woman now?

He wondered what she was like.

He would find out when they arrived, and do what he could to help.

Vess and Val were in trouble, he had to go.

It was his responsibility.

The Force had led him to the two years ago.

He would not deny it.

He would go.

It was the will of the Force.


	27. Fine

**Chapter 27: Fine**

"Could you speak for the council, master? What is about to happen on Alderaan…it…it should not stand?"

The hologram shimmered, if Vey was in one of her usual hermitages then it was unlikely that she had the finest connection, fortunately, the Folly had been upgraded a lot in the last few years; Randa had made sure that it could serve as a command and communication vessel for their growing fleet of subordinates.

Jas was grateful for that. It allowed him to contact his teacher. He knew that she would be a great asset in trying to set things right.

Jas wanted to find another solution, there had to be another way.

"I will do as you ask, apprentice," Vey Ilo promised, "Though I fear that any argument I may make may fall on deaf ears.

The small alien Jedi shook her head.

"In matters of state, the council will often side with the Republic. Politics are the arena of the politician; a Jedi should try and stay out of it."

Jas fought the urge to curse under his breath

_The Jedi did not interfere in politics? He found that funny. _

More than a few times during his travels, he had seen Jedi use the Force to persuade leaders to make a choice; to help those that they felt deserved it. Vey had taught him that such steps should only be taken in emergencies or as a last resort, sadly, not all of his brothers and sisters felt the same way.

He feared that Sy might try to use the Force to influence Vess, trick the girl into giving up her crown. He imagined her sitting in a chair signing away the right to her crown, Sy standing before her, putting words into the poor girl's mouth.

He didn't like the thought of that; he did not like it all.

If his brother truly believed it was in the best interest of the Republic…

Who knew what he might do, and in the interest of preventing a possible war, the council might just go along with such a tactic.

It wouldn't be right.

He wouldn't let it happen.

Jas sighed.

The order was acting without knowing the full story here. If they had seen what Jas had seen, if they had been on the ground on Bantoon seven years ago…

…they might have supported him, maybe even tried to help.

"I take it that you are going to Alderaan, **not** to aid your brother then?' Vey asked him.

"I think Sy is mistaken, master, there has to be a better way. There has to be some kind of compromise here, a way to help the Bann without taking away this poor girl's rights."

Jas Dar Bynn shook his head.

"Vessaria Istillo is not a bad girl, Master. Her only crime was to be born in a time that the Republic and its business interests sought out her world. If her family _**was **_murdered, doesn't that mean that the order should do what we can to help her, to _protect _her? If she is the rightful heir, then shouldn't we help her? She has a rightful claim to her mother's throne?"

"A throne that her aunt currently sits on," Vey reminded him, "It is a throne that she has used to aid the Republic greatly in the last few years."

Jas frowned.

"Does that erase what she did to get it; the **murder** of her own sister?"

"We have no evidence that a murder was committed, Padawan. We only have a theory which fits the facts you discovered."

Vey gave him a serious look.

"I understand your desire to try and help a friend, but are you sure that you are making the right choice? If the disagreement between these two women does lead to a Civil War…?"

"This is more than a mere disagreement, master. I've seen how far that Vess' enemies were prepared to go. If they are backed into a corner, who knows what tactics that they might turn to?

Jas pursed his lips trying to think of a way to make his master understand.

"As far as a Civil War goes, isn't it the right of the people of Bantoon to decide their own destiny? If they have chosen to resist the current regime, if the people _**want**_ Vessaria to return, does the order have the right to intervene?"

"It is our duty to protect the Republic, and its citizens" Vey reminded him, "to ensure that its people are free to live their lives."

"Doesn't that include Vess and Miss Valenthyne as well, they have lived in exile these last seven years; don't they have the right to live their lives, to aid their people?"

"And if people are willing to kill in this girl's name? Don't we owe it to those that could lose their lives to stop such violence?"

Jas pursed his lips.

He understood what his master was saying, but at the same time…

It wasn't that simple.

If the Jedi chose to intervene, to stop the resistance to Adira II's rule, were they supporting evil? Was the order not establishing a dangerous precedence?

"Does the order support the reign of tyrants now?" he asked, "Do we openly support the use of murder as a way for a political leader to gain power?"

Vey's eyes narrowed.

"Is this queen a tyrant? Do you have evidence to support such a statement Jas?"

He winced.

In truth he didn't know what kind of a ruler Adira II was. He only knew how she had taken the throne.

He hated to admit it, but Vey might have a point, still…

He thought of Vess, a scared little girl sobbing in Char Valenthyne's arms, a girl in mourning, a little girl who had just lost her mother. Annara V of Bantoon had been murdered by criminals, criminals likely hired by her own sister and her husband.

Didn't Annara V deserve justice? Didn't her killers deserve to stand trial for their actions?

"I don't know what kind of queen the woman is," Jas admitted.

"If she does rule wisely and well, do we have the right to intervene in that rule? Do we have the right to upset the balance of this world? You say that she is willing to negotiate, to reach a compromise with her niece."

"I would not call Vessaria abdicating her throne much of a compromise, master."

"Even if the choice to abdicate saves lives, if the girl's claim leads to violence, does that not justify what your brother is trying to do? From a certain point of view, is the girl's claim not dangerous and harmful to her people?"

Again Vey had made a good point, but again Jas recognized that it was not so simple.

Despite what he had learned from Vey, despite owing her so much, Jas was starting to get angry.

This argument was not so _**bloody**_ simple, and it shouldn't have been.

It was peace versus justice long denied.

Where did a righteous man stand on such an issue?

Where should a Jedi stand?

"I see your point, master. Innocent lives should take precedence, but again, we can't forget how we got here, how Vess' aunt gained the throne. Is Vess' challenge dangerous, it is, but does that make her the villain here, or merely a girl trying to get justice for her murdered parents?"

He sighed, trying very hard not to lose his temper, to remember his Jedi serenity

Part of him wanted to let go of it, he wanted to so badly. He had kept his emotions contained for so long, but now, this whole business threatened to see them come surging out again.

He hated that sense of weakness, and in that moment, he was not overly pleased with his master.

He wanted to lash out, and so…he did.

"A certain point of view," he murmured, "If the girl's claim is so harmful, then, by a similar point of view, the Jedi should not have bothered fighting the Sith, because in resisting them all we did was cause the deaths of innocents. Millions have died in the last thirteen hundred years, and all because we have never been able to decide how best to use the Force, or contain those that use the dark side. Perhaps Exar Kun and Darth Revan were the heroes, and we the villains. Perhaps…"

Vey looked down upon him with cold eyes, her shock quickly morphing to anger.

Jas winced.

In that moment he realized that he had made a mistake. He remembered his place, and what Vey had lost.

She had fought in two of those wars, as he well knew…and he had just made an error.

He had wanted to lash out, and he had, but it had been a stupid move.

Vey's master, Odan Urr had been murdered by Exar Kun, or so most people believed. Records of the day showed that Kun had entered the library, and spoken to Master Odan Urr alone, he had been the last to see the old Jedi alive, and later, the master's robes and cane had been found along with signs of a struggle. In death, the ancient Jedi had entered the Force completely, an extremely rare thing today, but far more common among the old masters. There had been no body to burn, only a sense of his passing through the Force.

No one had bothered to question Exar Kun that day, and once his treason had been discovered, it had been too late. He had fled Ossus with a large number of Jedi students, they did not return until they were Sith themselves, setting off a massacre that killed many of the Jedi's senior masters, a purge that Exar Kun used to further weaken the order, and prepare for his rise as the leader of a reborn Sith Order, the first man in a millennia to hold the title of Dark Lord of the Sith.

It was believed that the Dark Lord had traveled to the library world of Ossus and killed Odan Urr in order to retrieve a Sith Holocron that the Jedi had taken in his youth. It was not found among the rest of Odan Urr's artifacts, and considering what Exar had become, it was easy to guess what had happened.

Vey had spoken often of her master often during Jas' training. She had loved the old man like a father, and had never had the chance to bring his killer to justice. Exar Kun had died on Yavin 4, trying to cast some dark spell to destroy the Jedi fleet that had come for him.

Jas had scored a point in the argument, but he had done so in a way that he shouldn't have. His frustration retreated with that realization.

Jas bowed his head in shame.

"Forgive me for my bluntness, master," he said, "That was hurtful, and I apologize."

Vey continued to glare at him, making him feel even smaller, he may have been twenty five, but in that moment he felt like a five year old youngling again, so great was that disapproving gaze.

Finally, Vey spoke, she breathed out her anger, and surprise.

"It was hurtful," Vey agreed, but then let out a tired sigh.

"It is also…a good point."

His master sighed.

"There will be no easy answer to this puzzle, my student. I don't envy you. The path you seek to walk will not be easy."

A sad smile came to his master's lips.

"I will speak to the council," she promised, "You are right. We need to know more. We should investigate this matter further, as you said; the answer to this problem is far from simple. The possible murder of Annara V of Bantoon should be looked into."

Jas was surprised by her willingness, which made him feel even worse for bringing up Odan Urr, and what had happened to him."

"Thank you; master," Jas said dropping to one knee, "I'm sorry that I brought up…"

"It is an old wound, my Padawan, and one that has never entirely healed. Master Odan would likely have said that I should try to learn from it, that I should let the experience help guide me to enlightenment."

"He sounds like he was very wise," Jas said.

"He was," Vey said bowing her head respectfully, "He saved me when another would have cast me aside. I was not what I am now when he found me. I was out of control, almost a monster."

She shook her head.

"We should all be so lucky to know a being like Master Odan Urr."

Finally she looked upon her apprentice again.

"One final question, my student, what is motivating you to help these people? Why does it fall to you to aid them?"

"I was the one that saved Vessaria in that alley all those years ago. I took her and her protector off of Bantoon. I'm responsible for happens to them."

"Are you?" Vey replied, "Interesting."

Jas gave her a curious look; he recognized that tone of voice.

Vey only used it when she thought her student was missing something.

"A Jedi seeks justice," she continued, "That is expected of us, but what I wish to know is why it must be you? Your motivation is what concerns me in this moment."

"Isn't the desire to do justice enough?" he asked, "I'm responsible for seeing the two safely to Alderaan. I owe it to them as a Jedi to see that they receive the justice that they deserve."

"So you do this for friendship," she inquired, "You feel a sense of affection for these two people?"

Again Jas frowned; he was not sure what his master was asking of him.

"Emotion does not enter into it," he replied, "There is no emotion, there is peace. I'm doing this because I was there; the Force demands that I see it through."

"A decent answer," Vey agreed, "But not quite the right one."

Jas winced. He trusted Vey's wisdom, and if she was concerned about something he was doing, he wanted to find out why. She had put great faith in him, agreeing to train him the way she had.

He wanted to do right by her.

He wanted to make her proud.

"Tell me, Jas. Can I Jedi function without emotion?"

He shrugged.

"Isn't that what we train to be," he asked, "No emotion or passion, only peace and serenity?"

"But can you find serenity if you have not faced your emotions? Anger, fear, aggression, they can be animals if they are denied and caged for too long, and when you cage an animal, for too long, it becomes wild and uncontrollable it lashes out at everyone."

She gave her apprentice a serious look.

"Serenity is not the absence of emotion, Jas; it is the mastery of them. You need to see the face of the beast to understand it, to understand something, is to know how to defeat it. Denying it is not peace, it is apathy, and apathy **can** be dangerous."

He frowned.

"You think that I suffer from apathy?"

"You were deeply wounded when you first came to me. What you faced on Corellia, what happened to the girl that you loved, it wounded your heart, and you have never really given that wound time to heal, it has remained open and festering. I had hoped, in the last few years that you would open up, and let that wound heal, that my training would help you find your way back, and help you deal with the feelings that you hold inside, but I fear that you have missed the point, I fear that you think duty alone is all you need, that to deny what might have been is somehow a strength."

Jas shook his head; he didn't want to have this discussion, not now.

"I've done my duty, to both the Jedi and the organization that I serve, and I have done that well, is that not enough?"

"Maybe," she replied, "But as I said earlier, Padawan, apathy is not peace. If you cannot feel compassion, then how can you truly protect someone? Apathy can be comforting, my student, for a time, but if you don't care, if you can't feel, eventually you will begin to resent those that do. You will come to think that those that cannot shut off their emotions like you are weak, and unworthy of your superior strength. Can you see where that way of thinking might lead?"

Jas nodded, but he thought his master was wrong.

He could do his job; his duty would keep him on the right path. He was a Jedi. A Jedi did not seek to dominate others; they understood the flaws of their lessers and did what they could to lift them up, to aid them.

That was what Jas had to do; it was all that he had.

He would not fail in that duty.

"What must I do, master? If I've done something to worry you, how do I correct it?"

Vey gave him that little smile that he knew from their lessons, that smile that told him that he already knew the answer to his question.

"Choosing to help your friends is the first step. While you are on Alderaan, try to open up to them, feel don't think, and trust your instincts."

Such advice sounded dangerous to Jas, but he had no reason to doubt Vey Ilo.

She was his master, and had shown him ways to the use the Force that he had not even dreamed of. He owed her so much.

He nodded.

"I will try, master," he promised.

"Don't try, Padawan, do," she responded.

"And may the Force be with you."

The hologram faded, leaving him alone in his quarters.

He took a shaky breath and rose to his feet.

Vey had never steered him wrong. Her lessons were a bit round-about sometimes, but she always knew how to bring him to where he needed to go.

_Was he being apathetic? He did not think so._

He was simply focused on his duty. The Force knew; he would never have anything else.

He sighed.

He would endeavor to do what she had said, to try to feel and trust his instincts.

It would not be so easy after all this time, but he would attempt it.

He had faith in the Force, and in Vey Ilo.

He nodded.

For her, he would try, or rather do.

He would trust in the Force.

IOI

"You okay, pal? You look tense."

"I'm fine," Jas said quickly glancing around, reaching out with the Force, and trying to sense a familiar presence.

The cold mountain air of Alderaan filled his lungs. It had been some time since he had set foot on this world, and even longer since he had seen the castle like structure that was the home of House Rist.

It had not changed much in the last seven years, but that was not surprising. The Alderaani were proud of their world, and built things to endure here, change came slowly, if at all.

Yet, change was coming, the Lady Dorma Rist had sheltered young Vessaria Istillo for years, and now…the Republic had finally taken notice.

Jas could not say what would happen when his brother's ship arrived. What Sy Dar Bynn's response would be to ending what he felt was a crisis that was brewing under the noses of the Senate.

All he could say was that he would not allow things to get out of hand. He was responsible for bringing Vess and her Sworn Protector Char Valenthyne here.

He would not forsake them now.

The Coop's Folly's journey to Alderaan had occurred without incident. Jas was surprised by that, given what was at stake, he wondered if they would hear from the Red Eclipse again, the slavers had failed to kill Vess during her escape from Bantoon, he wondered if they would try again, especially now that her original saviors were back in play.

Would the queen and her High General be so foolish? He supposed not, after the Trandoshans had failed them, he doubted that they would let the lizard men try again.

No, it seemed that Adira II and her husband were willing to let the Republic and Jedi aid them this time, and if that failed…?

He could not say what their next move would be?

Coop had sent word ahead that they were coming, informing the Lady Dorma of what was happening. She had agreed to meet with Coop and Jas discuss what might be done to protect her ward and her protector. In this, Coop had let Jas take the lead, his experience within the Jedi Order expanded that options the group had available to it.

"I'm not going to push Vess to abdicate," Jas informed his friend and clan brother.

"I'm hoping we can reach some compromise that doesn't include Vess giving up her future and getting nothing in return."

"Your brother probably won't like that Jas, and his friends in the Senate certainly won't like it."

Jas had not been deterred.

'Then they shouldn't have involved us," he replied, but softened his stance when he looked at his friend.

"This could be bad for business," he warned his old friend, "You sure you want to go down this path with me?"

"I don't like people threatening my friends," Coop reminded him, "I've done a lot of business with House Rist over the years, and I'm certainly not going to stand idly by while someone under their protection gets squeezed, that is bad for business too."

So now here they stood on Alderaan again, awaiting the arrival of the welcoming committee from House Rist.

Jas shivered in the cold morning air. Originally, he had planned on wearing his Jedi Robes today, let the Rist know that not all of the order stood against Vess.

Dorma Rist had advised against it. When he and Coop had spoken to her over the hyper comm, she had informed them that it would be a very bad idea. The current Lord Rist was away on business, and his daughter Rehanna was currently serving as regent of their house.

"Lady Rehanna is not overly fond of the Jedi, Sir Jas," the lady had warned him when they had contacted her, "You would be better served not to show up wearing their garb, it will make things go more…smoothly in the long run."

So now Jas stood in his normal clothes, his black shirt, and pants with the Corellian blood stripes, and the nerf-hide coat that contained his wrist lightsaber sheath.

He was unsure why an Alderaani noble would have a problem with the Jedi, but decided it best to take the lady at her word.

He had no desire to be seen as an enemy as soon as they arrived.

He wanted the Rist to trust them.

They had expected the Folly to be granted clearance on the main landing pad, but that had not occurred. As the ship had made its approach, it was clear that they had arrived during some special affair. All the pads around the Rist estate were filled with shuttles and transports. It seemed that the nobles had guests.

So the Coop's Folly had been clear for landing on one of the rear pads, those closest to the loading docks. Coop and Jas didn't mind, they had often entered a client's dwelling through a back entrance, not every higher-up they dealt with liked to be seen mingling with "Independent traders."

Randa stood next to Jas and her new husband, she watched Jas closely, and he glanced over curious what he had done to deserve such attention.

"What is she like," Randa asked, "This Val of yours."

Jas shook his head, not entirely being able to kill the blush the comment caused.

"Val is…she is something," he responded, "I've never met a stronger woman; she is fierce, brave, and as protective of her young charge as a mother rancor."

Randa chuckled at his description.

"But she is more than that…isn't she, Jas?"

He nodded.

Val was…so much more.

As strong as she was, she also had a softer side, a more vulnerable side. Jas had seen that, and been drawn to it during their…interlude. Val liked to say she was not a person anymore; that the system, the programming she had endured, had made her into a weapon, a sword and shield for her mistress.

Jas knew better, he had seen the woman beneath the warrior. The Bann's system was not as perfect as they thought. The woman that Char Valenthyne had been was still there, the programming had not driven that from her fully.

What they had shared…it had been special; he still visited that memory sometimes. Val had said it had simply been a moment of comfort; that he had fulfilled a need she had had at a vulnerable moment, but for Jas it had been more.

It had been special.

The crew stood outside the Folly, awaiting their host. Coop had chosen, with the exception of his wife. To bring only the crew that had met Val and Vess during their first meeting. People that he was certain he could trust.

Tessa, Figgy, and Shusk had all moved up in the organization, but all retained their posts aboard the Folly, when Coop needed them. Burr was now head of security for their organization, and worked closely with Jas when it did come to matters of protecting the group. The man was still a bit too mercenary for his taste, but he had proven his loyalty over the years. Jas had no reason to doubt him, not anymore.

Even Bee Ten was here, Vess had come to like the depressed droid, who despite receiving several upgrades in the last few years, remained as sullen as ever.

"I don't understand why I'm here," the droid complained, "It is not like we are picking up any cargo I need to move."

"We figured that Vess might want to see your face plate again, you old rust bucket," Coop informed him, "So try to be nice when you see her again."

The droid shook its head.

"Yes Master Cooper, I will try to be…welcoming."

Jas snorted with amusement.

That would be a change.

The door leading into the estate hissed open, and four Alderaani emerged. A young man with dark brown hair, leading a woman with strawberry blond hair, Jas recognized the woman as Dorma Rist, which meant that the man was likely Lord Errol Rist, her husband, the Alderaani that had taken the woman from her home in a whirlwind courtship eight years ago.

Jas had met him in passing during their last visit. They had not really spoken, but from what Jas remembered, the man had been very protective of his young wife, not leaving her alone in the company of smugglers. Of course, she had been extremely pregnant at the time, so who could blame him being protective.

Following the two was a woman dressed in what looked like a military style uniform, her hair the same color as Lord Errol's, which suggested that the woman was another high ranking noble within House Rist, perhaps even this Lady Rehanna that Dorma had mentioned in their communication, and following her.

Jas smiled, he could not help it.

There _**she**_ was.

He could sense her presence in the Force; even if he had been blinded he would have known who she was.

She was dressed in a blue and black combat suit complete with a black armored chest plate. She wore a blaster on each hip, and carried a collapsed stun baton on her belt. Her hair was longer than he remembered braided in one of the elaborate hair style that Alderaani women had been famous for over the centuries.

He felt her bright green eyes find his. A hint of a smile played across her rather cruel mouth, a smile that might have been considered sly, and likely had been during her days as a professional thief on Bantoon.

It was she that spoke up first, addressing the new arrivals.

"Well, well," Char Valenthyne said with a smirk, "Look what the felinx dragged in."

Coop step forward and grinned.

"Well you certainly have the look of a security officer Chief Valenthyne and the smell of one too."

"And just how does a security officer smell, captain?" she asked.

"Self-righteous and arrogant," he replied.

There was a brief moment of tension, as the Rist digested the conversation between the two, but then it faded, when Val laughed and offered her hand to Coop.

"It is good to see you again, Captain Cooper. Welcome to Alderaan."

Coop took the woman's hand and shook it. He introduced his new wife and the rest of the crew to Errol and Rehanna Rist. Both Lady Dorma and Chief Valenthyne were pleased to meet Randa, curious what kind of woman could have tamed the roguish captain that had worked with them for so long.

Jas kept back, watching the display with a Jedi's eye and patience. His master's request came back to him then, to try and trust his feelings, to reconnect with people.

He smiled and approached Val.

She looked up and smiled brightly, but stepped back when he approached.

"Sir Jas," she said, bowing deeply, "Welcome to Alderaan."

The formality of her greeting surprised him.

_Val_, he wanted to say, _it is only me._

Coop gave her a curious look.

"He gets a full bow, while the master of the ship only gets a handshake?" he said dryly, "What's up with that?"

Val smirked.

"It is nothing personal, Captain." She replied, "As you may have remembered, Sir Jas was knighted by the queen during your original visit. His position as a knight of Bantoon makes him a minor noble on my world. The system demands that I pay him the proper respect for his position."

Jas winced.

A noble? He had not expected that. He had been flattered when Vess had knighted him, but had no idea that there had been more to it than a simply honor.

Randa smirked.

"Should we start calling you, Your Grace, Jas?" she asked.

"I'm not bowing to him," Burr said.

"Please don't," he said, "No bowing, no special titles."

He turned to Val.

"Chief Valenthyne," he said, "You may address me as Jas for the duration of our visit."

"As you wish, my lord," she said politely, "I will comply."

Again Jas winced.

My Lord.

That title carried with it a lot of negative meaning within the Jedi Order. No self-respecting Jedi wished to hear themselves referred to by _**that**_ particular title.

The few Jedi that had embraced that title had not been Jedi any longer.

Jas was determined not to join their ranks.

He was shocked by how cold Val was being toward him, he could feel a connection between them, a connection created by a moment of extreme intimacy.

Yet, Val did not even acknowledge it; perhaps the system that governed her mind blocked her from recognizing it.

If so, then what they had shared so long ago had been nothing more than a mere moment in time.

_So much for opening up to my emotions,_ he thought.

He once again pushed his feelings down.

They apparently had no place here.

"So, this is the Jedi?"

He turned, Rehanna Rist stood before him, she might have been pretty had she not been so intense, so closed off.

Jas actually took comfort from that.

At least I'm not the only one, he thought.

"I'm not a full Jedi, Lady Rist," he informed her, "Merely an acolyte of the Force, and have come here to offer my aid."

The lady sneered at that.

"I know what you Jedi are good for," she said bitterly, "House Rist doesn't need your aid. We take care of our own."

"Yet, my foster daughter may need these people, Rehanna," Dorma reminded her, "We should not turn away help when offered.

The Alderaani sniffed.

"We will see, the Jedi care nothing for people only the Force matters to them, you will see Dorma, you _**will**_ see."

The woman turned without another word.

Jas watched her go.

_Charming lady,_ he thought.

"What was **that **about?" Coop asked Dorma.

The Lady gave him a chagrined look.

"Rehanna had a bad experience with a Jedi from House Organa a few years back. Since then, she has never trusted the order."

"Perhaps she has a point," Jas said.

His words surprised both her and Coop.

Jas looked at them.

"Vess may be in trouble, I've come to try and find a solution, both as a friend and a Jedi."

Dorma smiled.

"We welcome your aid, Sir Jas; the aid of a knight of Bantoon is always welcome."

Jas tried not to scoff.

A Knight of Bantoon.

He was not sure what that meant, in fact he wasn't sure what it meant to be a Jedi anymore?

He only could try to do what was right, and pay the consequences."

"We should speak inside," Lord Errol insisted, "Such conversations should be held in better surrounding than a landing pad.

Coop smiled.

"I whole-heartedly agree," he said.

The two men fell in step together, followed closely by their wives. The rest of the crew followed, with Jas and Char Valenthyne bringing up the rear.

The security Chief looked at him, her expression curious.

"Are you okay there, hotshot? You seem…troubled."

"I'm fine," he said flatly, "I'm here to do my duty, Chief Valenthyne.

He gave her a slight smile, a smile that did not touch his eyes.

"You don't have to worry," he promised.

"I'm here to help."

He fell silent then, content to follow and focus on what would come next.

Val came up to Tessa, she whispered a question to the Folly's communications officer; she likely thought that Jas could not hear.

"What is the matter with him? He seems so cold."

"We've been asking that question for years," Tessa Calican responded.

Jas ignored her.

What did she know; she did not understand what the order and the organization asked of him.

Nothing was wrong with him.

He nodded.

"Nothing is wrong," he murmured.

_Serene or apathetic_, he thought, quickly dismissing either.

"Nothing is wrong," he repeated.

"I'm fine."


	28. House Rist

**Chapter 28: House Rist**

"You've arrived at a very interesting time, Lady Dorma informed them, "House Rist is a bit…crowded at the moment."

Jas shook his head.

That was an understatement and a half.

The halls of House Rist were overrun by teenagers. Chattering young people, swaggering young boys, and giggling girls, packs of both moved down the brightly lit hallways, paying no mind to the crew of the Coop's Folly and their escorts.

Jas put their ages around seventeen or eighteen, and all were dressed for cold weather. Thermal suits, parkas, and fur cloaks were the norm.

_All high end gear,_ he recognized, his smuggler's eye was trained to notice such things. Their group didn't deal in clothing, but he knew expensive when he saw it. None of these kids were the children of Alderaan's commoners that was for sure.

"What is going on," Coop asked Lady Dorma, "I'm guessing this is not a normal thing."

The lady smiled.

"They are all members of our legislative youth program," she informed them, "They were just about to leave on their senior trip, turbo skiing in the North Mountains."

"It is House Rist's turn to sponsor the trip," Errol Rist added, "A sharing of such duties does much to keep the peace between the noble houses, and we all try and carry our own weight."

"And try and out-do each other, don't forget that, my love," Dorma giggled, "It is seen as something of a status symbol if the children of the graduating class brag about how much fun they had on their trip, and it serves well to annoy the parents of the other houses."

"I see," Coop said with a grin.

"How lucky for the kids."

"Is Vess going along on this trip," Jas inquired.

"Of course," Dorma replied, "she has been in the program since she was fifteen."

Errol Rist smiled proudly.

"Our foster daughter has finished second in the program, but how could she not?"

The man laughed.

"She was born to rule."

Jas' brow furrowed.

_Not if my dear brother has his way,_ he thought.

He was still not entirely sure how to bring up the subject to Lady Dorma. He hoped that they would understand that despite their blood ties, Jas had a different opinion on what should happen in the situation between Vess and her family back on Bantoon.

"How is our little queen," Coop asked, "It will be good to see her again after all this time."

"Well," she is not very _little_ anymore," Char Valenthyne reminded them, "She is eighteen, and is…a bit of a handful."

"Handful," Randa asked, "How so?"

Val looked about to say something, but thought better of it.

She looked at Lady Dorma who nodded thoughtfully.

"Vessaria has grown into a young woman that her mother, Gods keep her, would have been very proud of. Though, like many young people, she is not really sure of her place in the galaxy."

"She has questioned her place in the succession, her right to rule," Val added, "She has adapted very well to life here on Alderaan, and to being seen as a member of House Rist."

"She is not sure what her future should be," Errol Rist chimed in, "Part of her would be fine simply remaining here, on Alderaan, attending university with her friends, and taking her place among the nobility here."

"So," Randa Halcyon said, "She is a typical teenager."

Coop's wife shrugged.

"You can't blame her for questioning her place in the universe."

"She is also her **mother's** daughter," Val said flatly, "She _**has**_ a responsibility to the people of Bantoon."

Jas considered that, and thought about what Sy wanted, and why he had asked them to come here.

His brow furrowed with thought.

What Vess wanted should enter into argument, but at the same time, Val was right, she _**did**_ have a responsibility to her people. It was her right to be a queen.

His head spun with the possibilities.

Master Vey had been right.

This situation was a puzzle, there would be no easy, or quick answers here.

"Does Vess want to give up her claim to the throne then?" he asked.

It was Val that replied.

"She is not sure what she wants, Sir Jas. She has studied hard here on Alderaan, preparing for her role as Queen, but her desires to simply be a free young girl, does enter into her choices as well. Sometimes she desires the throne, and other times she considers it a burden."

"Like any other teenager would," Randa added, shaking her head.

"Poor girl, I don't envy what she is facing."

"Sadly, it is not just **her** choice," Dorma said with a thoughtful expression on her face, "While Vess has been living here, Bantoon has continued to spin on, and recent events made things even more difficult for my young foster daughter."

"How so," Coop asked.

"Our Agents back home have informed us that Lady Adira had a miscarriage recently. The child was a girl, her _**only**_ girl."

"The usurper has had only boys up to this point," Char Valenthyne said, "Seven years of rule, and Adira has not managed to produce a female heir to the throne. The situation has started to make the Matriarchy uneasy, **very** uneasy."

"So, a man cannot rule Bantoon?" Randa asked.

"No," Val said flatly.

"Men fight, women govern, that is the way on Bantoon, the only way."

"Have your people ever had a king?"

"Once," Lady Dorma said, "Alexi I, also known as Alexi the Unstable. His lustful pursuits and power games tore the Matriarchy apart, he nearly undid all that his Great Grandmother, Vessaria the Unifier accomplished in her lifetime. Bantoon nearly collapsed into warring city states again."

"He was a conniving manipulator," Val said with snarl, "He used promises of marriage to put five royal houses at each other's throats, and all while he indulged his desire for bloodshed and mistresses."

The protector shook her head.

"He was finally slain by Annara I, his cousin, and the daughter of his mother's sister. She brought our people back from the brink, restored the honor of the Matriarchy and the Istillo name."

"Well said, Protector," Dorma said.

Val nodded.

Lady Rist gave Coop a sad smile.

"After the Unstable, Bantoon swore _**never**_ again to allow a man to sit the throne. Recently, High General Lyron, Vess' uncle, has tried to name his first born son as the heir, spitting in the faces of the Matriarchy and almost four hundred years of tradition."

"It has caused chaos back home," Val said with a hint of a smile, "And sometimes…chaos can breed opportunity."

Lady Dorma gestured to a small sitting room as they passed by; seven older gentlemen and ladies sat speaking quietly with a member of House Rist.

"Who are they?" Jas asked.

"Suitors, and representatives of suitors," Dorma informed him, "They have journeyed from Bantoon to try and court Vessaria."

Jas blinked.

Court...Vessaria?

That was ridiculous!

Vess was a child, she could not be…

Then he remembered how long it had been, in his mind's eye, Vess was still a sweet and innocent eleven year old.

Seven years was more than enough time for a little girl to grow up

As Dorma had said, Vess was eighteen; she was a young woman now.

He might not want to admit it, but it was the truth.

Vess was certainly old enough to rule, and to marry.

He glanced back at the nobles; they were all gray haired and heavy set. He guessed the average age of them around fifty or older.

"So those men are here representing their sons," he murmured.

Val, her hearing greatly enhanced, heard him. She came up alongside him, a hint of a frown on her face.

"Most of those men are representing themselves," she said, "The few ladies here represent sons, but the youngest one is in his late forties."

He looked at the protector.

"And…they want to marry Vess?"

She nodded.

"We had hoped to attract a better class of suitor," Val said narrowing her eyes at the men. "Sadly, most of our young men are currently caught up in the fervor that Lord Lyron has inspired back home, he has greatly expanded our military, wanting us to take a larger role in the Republic's defense."

The protector sighed.

"Few of these men have the strength to truly aid us, they think they can boost their positions by wedding an Istillo, that once they are wed and she gives them a female heir, the matriarchy will fall in line behind them, but it does not change the fact that what Dorma has gathered here is a beggar's feast. None of these lords could hope to oppose Lyron and Adira."

Char Valenthyne glared at Vess' would-be husbands.

"Annara would never have considered anyone in that room as a proper mate for her daughter, never.

Jas nodded.

What the two Bann women had told them now made sense.

No wonder Queen Adira and High General Lyron had run to the Jedi for help.

The Queen, or perhaps her husband, wanted to cheat the traditions of their world. They were trying to use the Republic and Jedi to justify changing their world to fit the way that they ruled it, and no doubt had the mining guild behind them funding whatever change the two nobles desired.

It was a daunting thought to be sure.

Poor Vess.

He could see now, why Sy wanted to hurry, the longer things took the more likely someone would start asking questions about why things needed to proceed so quickly.

Poor, unfortunate girl, he thought, Vess should have a say in her future, but it seemed that the Force had other plans. It was moving her towards a confrontation with her aunt and uncle.

Jas' eyes narrowed.

Whatever happened, she would not face it alone.

He had started this, taken the girl off her home.

He needed to make sure that whatever happened, she had a chance to live her life.

It was his duty as a Jedi to make sure that justice was done.

It was the will of the Force.

IOI

After the groups initial journey though the estate, Coop entered into a private meeting with Lady Dorma, her husband, and Rehanna Rist, a discussion of a business deal that the organization had undertaken for the noble house. The Folly crew had not yet been shown to private quarters, and would not be until the young people left on their trip.

Shuttles were still being prepared to take the young nobles to the north mountain. Their guards and chaperones would be following close behind in a specially outfitted sail barge, while the children played in the snow, the adults would be watching from above, talking with their allies and rivals, and discussing the matters that any noble might discuss at such a gathering.

Val was not happy with that part of the arrangement.

"I'm the queen's sworn protector," she said, "I'm no mere bodyguard; I should be allowed to remain at the queen's side."

"You know the rules for this trip, Protector," Lady Dorma said, "No armed guards from any family on the slopes. Two squads of Arkyd security probes will be monitoring our young people; they will defend the kids if anything goes wrong, and call for reinforcements if needed."

Val nodded, but she was anything but happy.

She paced the room where the Folly crew was told to remain; droid servants brought refreshments while they waited.

Jas walked up to Val, he hoped to speak with her alone, to explain what was coming before Sy got here.

He was not sure how the woman would react when she saw that the Jedi that arrived to convince Vess to give up her birth right had his face.

"You are going to wear a hole in the floor," he warned her.

She glared at him, but that glare faded quickly. It was replaced by a cool look.

"It has been awhile, hotshot," she said, "I'm surprised it took this long to bring you back."

He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

It was she that suggested that he try to live a normal life. It was she that had given him the strength to pursue Prynn Pelar in the first place.

He didn't blame Val for what happened, but had she not made the suggestion, he might have avoided a lot of pain and trouble.

It wasn't her fault, he thought, what is done, is done.

He didn't blame Val for what happened, he never would. He _**couldn't**_ blame her.

What they had shared, it was _special_, at least for him_._

She would always hold a special place in his heart, even if he chose not to show it. They had a connection, he felt it.

He was sad that she was not Force sensitive, that she could not feel it too.

"Things happened," he said dismissively, "The Jedi finally caught up with me. I was asked to rejoin the order…in a limited capacity."

She smiled slightly.

"How limited?" she inquired.

"Mainly as an agent," he replied, "watching the fringes for anything unusual."

He sighed.

"How much has Dorma told you about why we are here?"

"She said that some Jedi is coming, that he wants to speak with Vess on behalf of the Republic."

Char Valenthyne shrugged.

"I had hoped that the honorable and good Jedi would finally be willing to listen to us; that they might even try to help us get justice for Annara and her husband."

"Have your learned anything else about Vess' father, Lord Trenn was it?"

Val nodded, but she radiated a sense of sadness and frustration.

"His lordship's vessel vanished seven years ago, no trace was ever found. If it was intercepted by the same pirates that tried to get us…"

Jas shook his head.

Damn.

Vess had lost so much; he had hoped to make sure that she didn't lose anything else.

"I came here to warn you, to prepare Vess for what is coming,"

"Warn us of what?" Val said; he could sense her suspicions starting to rise, her defenses going up.

"Queen Adira has spoken to the Republic; she has made a lot of claims about Vess."

"I've heard some of those claims," Val said with a sneer, "That Vess is an impostor, that I'm behind all that has happened, and that I may even have had a hand in my Queen's death."

She shook her head.

"Anyone who thinks such poo doo is a fool," she said, "I'm a sworn protector of Bantoon; I could not raise a finger against my mistress. I would be on my knees wailing in pain if I tried. The system would not allow it, and the system always wins."

"Not always," Jas reminded her, "The fact that you are standing here is proof of that."

"All that proves is that your Jedi sorceries were stronger at that moment."

She gave him a weak smile.

"Still…I can't fault you for what you did, I'm…I'm forever grateful for that Jas. You…you saved me, and gave me a chance to save Vess."

Her strange green eyes turned warm, she started to reach out, like she was about to touch his face, but stopped herself; she winced like she was in pain.

"Are you okay," he asked, "I felt…"

"I'm fine," she said quickly, a dismissive smile came to her lips.

"It is good to see you again, hotshot, I've…I've missed you."

He smiled, the first real smile he had managed in what felt like forever.

"I remember you telling me once that you tried not to look back, and that your duties prevented you from having the luxury of missing people."

"It _used_ to," she confessed, he sensed confusion.

She smiled again.

"I don't completely understand it, you…you left an impression on me. Normally I move on from such things so easily, but with you…I…I don't understand. You are still there, I couldn't just let go and forget. We knew each other for so short a time, but…that was all it took."

Her smile widened.

Despite everything, I've missed you, it is true."

Jas felt something twist inside him, something that wanted to wake up.

He pushed it back.

_No, he had gone down that path before, all it led to was more pain._

_He would not make the same mistake twice._

"I've missed you to," he replied, holding his emotions in check.

If she noticed, she did not show it, she simply smiled.

Char Valenthyne had a nice smile. It was a little sly. It was a smile that suggested that she was ready to stir up a little trouble.

It was good to see it again.

"Will you stop that, please?!"

Shusk's squeaky voice drew the two back to the here and now. The little Chandra Fan was glaring at Burr, his whiskers twitched.

"You are going to get us in trouble!"

"I'm not doing anything, Shusk," the enforcer said dismissively, his eyes focused on the hall.

Jas looked up with a slight frown.

He could see why the alien engineer was concerned.

A pack of eight noble girls had paused before the open door. Lithe and shapely, they were all dressed in brightly colored skin tight thermal suits showing off their lovely figures. Their hair shortened in an identical pixie cut style showing off their long necks and, for some, fancy ear rings.

Lovely, Jas thought, his own eyes settling on a pretty blond in the back, her smile warm and infectious, her figure curvy and athletic, her black suit with white markings standing out sharply among her brightly clad friends.

She radiated a sense of innocent excitement that was refreshing after being surrounded by hardened smugglers and guarded clients. The girl's presence was a breath of fresh air.

She had not noticed Jas and the group; he looked away quickly, before he offended either them or Val.

Still, what he had felt in the Force…

He blinked.

Damn, he thought.

Jas certainly understood why Burr was staring.

These girls were…_distracting_ to say the least.

"What's with the hair styles," he asked Val.

"Huh," the protector said.

Jas motioned to the girls.

"I thought that Alderaani girls were known for their elaborate hairstyles. I remember reading something about that during my days of training at the temple; those girls all have short hair."

Val nodded and smirked.

"It is fad that started a year or so ago, some Organa girl joined the Republic navy, and won some major victory over a pirate gang, she returned home a national hero, sporting that exact haircut.

Val chuckled.

"All the noble girls decided they wanted it too. It drove their noble parents mad. It took some of those girl years to grow out their hair to be long enough for some of the looks their families favored. Now…they all look like that."

Jas smirked.

_Rebellion **was** the province of the young,_ he supposed.

Not that he was much older, at twenty five, some of their more hardened clients still considered him a kid too, and besides...

...Hadn't he been about their age when had decided to intervene on Bantoon?

It had worked out in the end, but…

No, he would not play that game, he was justly proud of what had happened on Bantoon, of saving Vess and Val.

He would make no apologies for that,

Shusk continued to glare at Burr; his ears were starting lay back, showing his anger.

"I said stop it," he spat.

"What is your problem, rodent?" Burr asked.

Shusk put his hands on his hips.

"I can smell the pheromones your giving off, Burr. It is _**disgusting**_. If one of the lords shows up and sees you leering at their daughters, we could all be in trouble, so stop it."

"Who is going to make me furry? You?"

"Yeah," the Chandra Fan said, "Me."

Burr smirked.

"You and what army?"

Shusk smiled.

"Don't need an army, I got Bee Ten,"

Hearing his name made the load lifter droid sit up and look around. Shusk had upgraded him a lot in the last few years, his frame was smaller than it had been originally, allowing him to finally fit through doors and enter buildings that did not have hangar access only.

"Am I to throttle someone, Master Shusk," he asked, "I suppose that I should do it, though I suspect that Captain Cooper will yell at me later."

The droid looked down at Burr.

"I hope I don't hurt you," he said, "Remember, I'm still trying to get use to this new frame, and I don't know my own strength."

The droid stepped forward, starting to raise one of his arms.

"Keep back, rust bucket," Burr growled, he glared at the grinning Chandra Fan; he was trying hard not to panic.

"Call him off, Shusk, I'll stop okay! I'm not gonna look at those girls anymore!"

The little alien gestured and the droid lowered his arm and stepped back.

"And I was just starting to have fun," it said shaking its head morosely, "Typical."

Val smirked at Jas.

"Nice to see some things haven't changed. Your crew still likes to get on each other's nerves."

Jas shrugged.

"It is what families do," he said, and to his surprise, he meant it.

The group…they _**were**_ his family.

He was grateful to still be among them.

Val's gaze fell on the group of girls; they remained where they were, still oblivious to what was going on in the room across from them.

"See anything you like there, hotshot?" Val asked him.

Jas blushed and looked away.

He was no drooling lecher, Val knew that, but at the same time she was not above teasing him for noticing what was standing in front of him.

Still who could blame him?

He was a twenty five year old man, and in the prime of his life, or so Randa liked to remind him, was it surprising that he noticed a young girl? It was not like he has stared long, and he certainly hadn't said anything wrong.

"It is nothing," he said quickly, "I'm fine."

"Okay," Val said, her teasing smile never leaving her face.

_Stop it,_ he wanted to say.

_You are not helping._

The door behind them opened, Coop, Randa, and the three members of House Rist emerged.

"I will see what I can do about that order, you wanted" Coop promised Lady Dorma.

"I think we can arrange something."

"Good," the woman said, "It is always a pleasure doing business with you, captain."

It was at that moment that the girl in black turned away from her friends; she smiled and entered the room.

Jas took a step back into Bee Ten's shadow, feeling a bit awkward about having stared at the young girl. She didn't notice him; at least, he **hoped** that she didn't.

_You didn't do anything_ his conscience chided, _so you looked at a pretty girl so what?_

_It is not like you said or did anything rude._

Dorma Rist smiled as the girl approached; she beamed like a happy parent.

"There you are sweetheart, are you ready for the trip?"

The girl nodded.

"Aunt Dorma," the girl said her voice warm and attractive, a mix of spice and honey, "Have you seen my cloak, the gray one with the fur collar? It wasn't in my room."

"The servants washed it for you, Starfish. I'll have Aubrey get it for you."

The girl grinned, and kissed the older noble on the cheek.

"Thanks, Aunt Dorma, you are the best."

"Have fun today, Vess," the Lady said, "You deserve it."

Jas' eyes widened.

He…he…couldn't…

Vess?

He caught another glimpse of the girl's smile as she turned; he saw a dimple on her right cheek. He remembered both the smile, and that dimple.

He…he was left speechless.

Vess.

_He…he had been looking at Vess?_

He blushed pure scarlet, and looked away feeling like some pervert.

Val noticed and smirked.

"Yup," she said with a mischievous smile, "That is my queen, our dear _**little**_ Vess."

She chuckled at the look on his face.

"You okay there, Not a Jedi? You need me to call an Em-Dee droid?"

No," Jas said quickly, still feeling like an ass.

_That…that was Vess? He still couldn't believe it._

Part of him had still expected her to look like the slim scrawny-armed eleven year old girl she had once been.

He felt like a fool, ashamed that he had been gawking at her.

He swallowed hard and tried to regain his composure.

"Vess…um…uh…she has certainly..ah... grown some, hasn't she?"

Char Valenthyne continued to smirk, enjoying watching him squirm.

_Damn it._

_Damn the woman!_

"Yes, she agreed watching her queen leave.

"She most certainly has."


	29. The Trip

**Chapter 29: The Trip**

The sail barge glided gently over the rocky crags of the North Mountain range of Alderaan, flanked by speeder bikes and the shuttles of the legislative youth program, the class trip made its way to the slopes where the students would be free to enjoy themselves.

Jas stood by a view port, watching the snowy terrain pass by, his eyes drifting to the shuttles around them.

He could say one thing about the Alderaani nobles; they knew how to do things in both wealth and style.

When he had first heard the words sail barge, he had gotten the mental picture of a Hutt sail barge, he had seen more than a few during his life, both Clan Nuna and the Cooper/Halcyon Organization did business on Nar Shadda and Hutta, the Hutt throne world.

Hutt barges were typically dark and grimy, loud and dangerous. They could be seen as either floating parties or riots, depending on the mood of the Hutts and their guests.

An Alderaani Sail barge was nothing like that. Its armored panels were made of fine white metal with gold trim, large glass windows had been added to the sides so that the guests could watch as the world passed by below them. There was even a viewport in the belly of the barge, so if they happened to be floating above something interesting, the party goers could look down upon it safely, without ever having to leave the safety of the barge's heated deck.

And yes, this did have the feel of a party, the youth program's chaperones, as well as the various parents and teachers mingled, drank, and ate while an Ortolan keyboardist played merry tunes on his instrument, the music just loud enough to keep anyone from eavesdropping on private conversations.

Not that Jas had been looking to eavesdrop, for the moment he only had eyes for the shuttles that were flanking the larger vessel. The ones loaded down with students on their way to the ski slopes.

He frowned slightly.

He wondered which one that Vess was on. He could have reached out, and found her easily enough in the Force, but decided not to.

He was still smarting from his behavior earlier.

Vess didn't need him checking up on her; let her enjoy her time with her friends.

They would get a chance to speak later.

He thought back to their chance meeting seven years ago, and what he had sensed at that time. The Force had sung around the girl, heralding a life of significance and importance.

He had felt it then, and to this day he believed that the Force had guided him to that alley. He had saved a child of destiny that night, and because of him, that child had had a chance to grow up.

No longer was she a skinny little thing with pigtails, she had grown into what had seemed to be a vivacious and confident young woman.

Yeah, he thought shaking his head, and your first impulse upon seeing her again was to gawk at her like Corellian red-light district hologram.

He…he was mortified, what had he been thinking?

It was safe to say that he had **not** been thinking, not with his head anyway.

He was ashamed, as he should have been.

He felt less than scum, he…

_Stop it, _his conscience chided_, you did nothing wrong_.

It was true; he hadn't, but still….

_No buts, so you looked on a beautiful girl and felt a sense of attraction?_

_Sounded like a perfectly normal response to me_.

Maybe, after all, he had **not **recognized her, and he had not been the only one.

The crew had been so occupied with their usual bickering that none of them had even realized it was Vess until after she had left.

Though when everyone realized **who **it had been, who they had just seen...

...The response was immediate.

"That was the kid?" Figgy had asked, his large eyes widening even more.

"Well," Burr had said with a sly grin, "She grew up in all the right places didn't she?"

"**Burr**," Shusk had squeaked, "I **warned** you!"

"What? All I said is that the kid had grown up. What?"

Jas had shaken his head.

He still couldn't believed it.

He had been foolish to think that she hadn't changed in the years since they had been away.

Coop and Randa had not had a chance to comment on what had happened; they had been too tied up with the Rists, which was unfortunate.

Jas would have liked to have spoken with his clan brother, gotten his take on this…development.

As for Vess herself, she had not even realized that the Folly crew was here, yet. Her foster parents and Lady Rehanna had blocked the entry way. The girl had not had the chance to look into the room. She had been so lost in the excitement of her trip, she had not even acknowledged her former rescuers, probably had not even **seen **them.

_That was good_, Jas believed, _Vess did not have to know about the threat she would soon face, not yet, let her enjoy a day of fun with her friends and classmates without the blade of destiny hanging over her head. The girl deserved to have some fun before the rest of the galaxy intervened, she would soon learn about her aunt's attempt to drag the Jedi Order into the problems of their homeworld._

When that happened, she would not have to face such a threat alone.

Vess had Val, and now, **he** was determined to aid her as well.

Whatever Sy thought, whatever he was planning, Jas was not so sure that his way was the _**only**_ way.

He was determined to find another option.

Vess needed to be protected, she…

He shook his head.

In his mind's eye, he saw her again, her blond hair cut so short, her thermal suit fitting so…snuggly.

_Stop it;_ he thought to himself, _there was no reason to torture himself with what had happened._

_What was done was done._

So he had stared a bit too long at a pretty girl, so what?

And besides…

...How was he to know that the pretty little blond had been Vess?

He had not recognized the girl, not until she had gotten close enough to see that familiar smile.

He shook his head.

Still…he felt like an idiot.

He tried to put it out of his mind; he stepped away from the viewport, hoping for a chance to speak with Coop and Randa. Lady Dorma had invited the three of them to join her on the trip. The rest of their crew had remained behind, to settle in at the estate.

Jas knew that he and Coop would have to speak not just with Lady Dorma, but Vess as well.

They needed to prepare for when his brother came. What approach they would take.

He didn't want to frighten the girl, but she still deserved to know what was what.

He spotted Coop surrounded by several Alderaani nobles, they all laughed at something amusing his old friend and clan brother had said. The nobles seemed entranced by whatever story it was that Coop was telling them.

Jas shook his head.

It was amazing how much things had changed for them in the last year or so.

Once, he and Coop would never have been invited to attend some noble's get together, now his old friend bantered freely with their hosts and their allies.

It was an amazing sight to be sure.

Once again, he found himself questioning his place in their organization. Coop no longer needed him to negotiate on their group's behalf. They had grown quite large as both a business and a crew. They had their off world contacts for speaking with perspective clients, a necessary tool considering Jas' occasional need to leave the group and train with Master Vey. If those clients proved too difficult for their underlings, Randa, who was now married to Coop, would step in, she was more than able to keep their new clients happy.

So where did **he** fit in? He couldn't really say for sure anymore.

He knew how to keep the wheel's turning, that was for sure, but even that could be handled by Jonas Gillespie or another of their crew.

Of course, his skills would likely be needed soon, when the Coopers started having children, for example. The growing family would likely have need of him to step up and run things when their personal lives became more…complicated; when the cries of babies got in the way of business calls.

He could do it, but was that what he wanted?

Was that the way that he wished to serve?

Surely a droid or another of the group's negotiators could do just as well as he could?

_Why not you?_ The cynical voice in his head responded, _it is not like you will ever have to worry about having children or a family of your own._

_Your place…is to serve, just like the good Jedi you try to be._

That was true, he thought, he would never have what Coop and Randa had found; it was beyond him.

The Force had other plans when it came to Jas Dar Bynn.

As for the business, things would change as Coop and Randa grew their family. Changes within their organization would need to be made, but what part would Jas play in those changes? It was clear that he didn't know everything that was going on. The business with Tyntas and Fallenstar had proven that much.

He would need to figure out exactly where he fit in this new paradigm.

"Jas?"

He looked up to see Randa standing next to him.

He smiled.

"Is there something you need?"

Randa smiled back.

"Perhaps you would be so kind to introduce me to Val. We didn't really get the chance to talk earlier."

"It would be nice to get a chance to speak with this woman, considering what she meant to you."

Jas frowned.

He really wasn't sure that was a good idea.

Randa was…well…

He would rather not subject Val to her questions.

"She seems a bit busy right now," he said motioning over to where Val and the other body guards had taken up position. Vess' sworn protector stared intently out the viewport, likely watching the transport that her lady was traveling in.

Being this far from Vess was making Val nervous, not that Jas blamed her.

Vess' mother had sent her away to protect her daughter, but in doing so Val had not been there to aid her queen when she was killed.

Jas suspected that that still bothered Val to this day.

"Never the less," his brother's wife said with a smile, "I would still like an introduction."

Her smile widened.

"Don't worry, I promise not to embarrass you."

Jas chuckled.

He doubted that that could be helped, but…

Fine.

He offered Randa his arm, and led her over to where Val kept watch.

"Be nice," he murmured to Randa.

"I'm always nice," the woman replied.

Again Jas shook his head.

_If this goes wrong_, he thought to himself.

_Someone please blast me._

Before they could reach her, another woman approached Val. From her clothes, and hair style it was clear that she was not Alderaani. Grey haired with a long face, and cruel mouth, she stood a head shorter than Val, but carried herself as if she was the biggest and strongest in the room, through the Force, radiated with a sense of both entitlement and control. She called out to Val, referring to her only as protector.

When Val turned, her greens eyes went wide, her whole posture changed, becoming rigid.

"Lady Janyss," she gasped in surprise.

"What…what are you doing here?"

The other woman, another Bann, Jas presumed smiled.

"I came to see you, protector," the woman, Lady Janyss said sweetly, "I had to see for myself if it was you, to see with my own eyes."

The woman pinned Val in place with her hard stare, Val looked at the smaller woman like a fly facing down a spider.

Fear radiated out from her like light from a star.

'You should not be here, protector," the woman said, "Your mistress is long dead. You were assigned to protect Queen Annara V, but she is gone now, her spirit sailing on the ocean of eternity, you should be with her, aiding her on her journey. That was the promise you made when you entered the program, when you accepted the system into your heart and head, but that has not happened, has it, you…you are still here."

The woman leaned in closer.

"Why is that?"

Jas watched the exchange. Val, he, he had never seen her like this. The woman had only said a few words to her, and she looked like she was ready to jump out of her own skin.

Her hand drifted to the blaster pistol on her belt, if she drew it, Jas knew, it would not be to point it at the woman in front of her.

_A Protector that fails must fall._

His eyes narrowed.

He had seen that look on Val's face before, the moment she had tried to blast herself when she realized that her original mistress was dead.

_What would happen_, he wondered, _what if this woman ordered Val to shoot herself? Would she be able to resist? _

It sounded crazy, but what he was feeling through the Force.

He decided not take any chances.

He didn't know who this woman was, but it was clear that she had some kind of power over Val.

He didn't like it. He didn't like it one bit.

If this woman was from Bantoon, who knew who had sent her here? It might very well of been the queen who had killed her own sister.

"Come on," Jas said leading Randa forward.

"What is it," Coop's wife asked him, "what is going on?"

Jas did not have time to explain.

They had to get in there, now.

For Val's sake.

Val remained frozen pinned by the smaller woman in front of her, her hand resting on the holster of her weapon.

"I asked you a question, protector," she said, "Comply."

"Before Val could utter a single word, Jas was there, he wore his most disarming smile, though that smile did not touch his eyes.

"I believe that I can help you, my good woman," he said, "Protector Valenthyne told me the whole story."

The woman turned, she pinned Jas with her cruel gaze, but unlike Val, he did not freeze under it.

His smile remained intact.

"And who might you be, sir," Lady Janyss asked.

"My name is Jas Dar Bynn," he informed her, "I was first mate on the vessel that saw young Queen Vessaria safely off of Bantoon. Protector Valenthyne told me the whole story of what had happened between her and her queen didn't you Val?"

Jas' presence shook Val out of her trance, she blinked and nodded quickly.

"Yes," she said, "I…I told Jas everything."

He smiled down at the smaller woman.

"Before taking her leave of Bantoon, Annara, your queen, asked Val to serve as her daughter's sworn protector. The girl was without one, from what I understand; only a mere trainee had been assigned to serve her. Your queen did not wish to take any chances, isn't that right Val?"

Again the protector nodded.

"That…this is correct director," she said, "What this man is saying is true, Annara asked me to defend her daughter, even gave her my command codes, to make sure that I would not be able to disobey."

Lady Janyss looked back and forth between the two, she did not look happy, especially when she looked at Jas.

She sniffed, clearly not pleased with the answer.

"Annara ordered you to serve her daughter? Interesting. I had no idea that a protector could serve another mistress, especially while her original one still drew breath."

"It wasn't something I was overly pleased with myself, director," Val said, "But as Sir Jas said, I had little choice."

The protector managed a weak smile.

"The transfer was done through the system, and the system always wins."

The Bann woman nodded.

"So it does," she agreed.

Again, she looked at Jas, her expression was…suspicious to say the least.

She gave him a cold smile.

"So, you are one of the ones that aided Vessaria? The Bann people owe you a debt, sir. The Istillo bloodline is important to my people, it is through the Istillo family that my world prospered, and continues to prosper...

"As I've said, you have our thanks."

Think nothing of it," Jas said bowing respectfully, "It was my honor to help; Vess is a very special girl."

"I suppose she is," the lady said, she took one final look at Val, her smile as cold as the depth of space.

"It is good to see you again, Protector Valenthyne. I do hope we have the chance to meet again in the future."

The woman turned without another word, leaving Val, Jas and Randa where they stood. Jas did not take his eyes off her until she was engaged in speaking with several of the nobles that had accompanied them on this trip.

He looked over at Val. She took a shuddering breath; her hands went to her temples, rubbing them as if she had a headache.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

"I'm…I'm fine," she said, managing a weak smile.

"It…it was just a bit of a shock seeing the director here; that is all."

Randa approached her, a concerned look on her face.

"You're trembling, dear," she said, "There is no reason to be afraid, you are among friends here."

Char Valenthyne took a deep breath and nodded.

"I suppose you are right," she said, her eyes focusing only on Jas. He nodded, reaching out with the Force, offering her his support, letting calming energies flow between them.

Val took another shuddering breath and smiled at him.

"So hotshot," she said to him, "Are you going to introduce me to your friend?"

Randa held out her hand.

"Randa Halcyon-Cooper," she said, "I'm Coop's wife, and the head of the ground team for our little organization."

"Pleased to meet you, milady," Val said, taking her hand, "You have both my congratulations and my sympathies for choosing to wed the dear captain."

"I do hope you are up to the challenge."

"I try to be brave," Randa replied, dismissively, "Coop and I have known each other for years. I'm pretty sure I know all his tricks by now."

"Speaking of tricks," Jas said to Val, "Who was that woman? I'm guessing you two have a history.

Val shuddered.

"You would be right," she said, "That is the Lady Janyss, she is director of the Sworn Protector program, and one of my mentors from my training days back on Bantoon."

Jas glanced over at the woman; a hint of a smile came to his lips.

_She is the director of the program, huh?_

_I'm betting she could answer a few questions._

In the years since he had left Bantoon, Jas had occasionally tried to dig up any information he could find on the Sworn Protector program. His initial meeting with Val, and the story she had told about her training, had made him curious about it.

In the last seven years, he had learned little about it, despite the fact that they had joined the galactic community, the Bann remained tight lipped and protective of any information about the creation of their genetically enhanced bodyguards.

He had found so little information on the subject, even the people he had paid to go to Bantoon had turned up little or nothing about the program, and how its training worked.

He suspected that this Lady Janyss could fill in a lot of blanks for him.

It might be worth it to talk to the woman privately, she might even be able to explain how the system worked, which might be useful if someone was to…say…try to free a Sworn Protector from her duties.

Having that conversation might be very enlightening…

…very enlightening indeed.

Randa shook her head, as she regarded the other woman; she was currently speaking with a representative from House Alde.

"Jas told us a little about your "Training," Coop's wife informed Val, "You have our sympathies."

Val looked over at Jas; he was briefly concerned she would be angry with him for sharing such information, but that concern faded when he saw the Protector nod.

"I remember only a little, and what I do remember. Those…those memories are not pleasant."

She looked at Jas her eyes once again filling with fear.

"I told you once that I remembered hearing a voice during my training, when I was forced to stare into a sea of swirling light, the feel of so many needles digging into my skin. It was the director's voice that I heard, whispering in my ear: Asking if I was ready to accept the system, if I was ready to comply?"

Val shivered again.

"I'm ready to comply," she murmured under her breath, "I'm ready…"

Jas frowned the fear radiating off this beautiful stubborn woman filled him with a sense of sadness.

Char Valenthyne was probably one of the toughest women he had ever known, he didn't like seeing her like this.

"You don't have to be afraid of her, not anymore," he promised her.

His hand drifted to Val's back, he placed his hand there, stroking her spine, gently.

"I'm here if you need me, okay?"

Val nodded; she could not quite hide the sigh of pleasure that escaped her lips.

"Thank you," she said, "I…I'm starting to feel better already.

The two of them looked at Randa; she was smiling slyly at them both.

"What?" Jas and Val asked in unison.

"Oh…nothing," Randa said with a smirk, "I…I should go find my husband, you two have fun now. I think you have much to talk about."

Char Valenthyne watched her go, her expression was…confused.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

Jas sighed.

"Randa has her own way of looking at how people interact," he informed her, "Sometimes she sees things that aren't there."

Ah, I see," Val responded; she looked over at Jas, who again felt his Jedi calm starting to slip away.

It had been happening a lot on the journey, making him question his choice to come here in the first place.

Yet, he had **no** choice.

Once again the Force had intervened in his life, bringing him back into Val and Vess' orbit.

Whatever that meant, he needed to be mindful.

Nothing happened on accident, not when the Force was involved.

He had been given this path for a reason.

And now…he had to figure out why.

IOI

It didn't take the sail barge long to reach its destination. The shuttles broke away from it and the speeder bikes that had escorted them, and made their way down to the slopes, down to where the young people would be able to begin their ski trip.

Jas found himself at the side of Lady Dorma; the Lady of House Rist had fetched him shortly after his encounter with Lady Janyss. She wanted him to meet the other Bann, the people that had journeyed here to see Vess for themselves.

Apparently, he was the first person to be knighted by a queen of Bantoon in decades. Dorma felt that made him important, and wanted to share his tale with her fellows.

Jas said little during this tour, what else could he say?

He had not started out trying to get himself knighted.

He had merely followed the direction of the living Force, what came next was all just part of the job.

Most of the men he was introduced to were low level nobles, men who had made the long journey to Alderaan in an attempt to become potential suitors for Vess.

Jas answered their questions, the ones he knew the answers to anyway. What the girl had been like when he had found her? How she had reacted when she had learned her mother had been slain? Did he have any idea what her position was on their worlds continuing relationship with the Republic?

He was no politician; that was for sure. He could not say what kind of queen that Vess might be given the chance. All he could say was what his instincts told him.

He got the feeling that his answers did not appeal to many of the girl's potential suitors. They had likely hoped that he could offer them some kind of insight into winning her affection; sadly, he did not have that knowledge. He had known a little girl seven years ago.

Who the young woman was now, her likes and dislikes, he couldn't really say, these men's opinions were as likely right as anything he could come up with. Dorma likely knew, but she kept her own counsel, not volunteering anything.

Jas wondered what that was about.

He was grateful when Dorma was called away by her husband; some matter had come up with a chaperone from House Organa. She excused herself and went to deal with it personally, leaving Jas alone again.

He sighed as he stared out the view port, below them the young men and women of the Legislative youth program were enjoying themselves,

Vess was likely among them, unaware of what was coming for her, unaware of what she would soon face.

He still had no idea how Sy was going to approach this problem. No doubt his brother already had some idea concocted for how he was going to convince Vess to sign away her birthright.

He would do what he could to help her find a way around that, or maybe Master Vey would convince the council to intervene on the girl's behalf.

If the council did decide to support Sy, he would need to come up with something on his own.

He did not want to go against their wishes, but if it came to that, so be it.

Justice had been too long denied in this matter.

Vess deserved to see the people that hurt her family punished.

He could give the kid that much, at least.

As he watched, three round droids flew past the viewport, about the size of a zone ball. They looked like camera droids, probably some of the security probes that Dorma Rist had mentioned, the ones watching over the kids.

He frowned slightly.

It appeared that two of the droids had been chasing the third. What was up with that? What could be…?

"Attention gentles and femms, attention!"

The voice emerged from a loudspeaker overhead, the captain of the sail barge, Jas suspected.

"We would like to thank you for joining us today, and your continued support of the Alderaani Legislative youth program. If you look out the port viewport you will see…

SSSSSCCREEEEEEEEEEEE!

Jas winced and covered his ears; the sound was like fingernails on a teacher's holo-board.

It was cut short a few seconds later.

He shivered.

_What in the name of the Force was **that?**_

He saw Lady Dorma speaking with an officer from the barge's crew; he used the Force to sharpen his hearing.

"What do you mean we've lost communication?" the Lady said, "Restore it."

"We are trying, Lady Rist," the man promised, "there is an unknown signal blanketing the mountains, it is broadcasting over the planetary alert system, and is too strong for us to filter out. We were warned of a possible test today, but I've never seen the signal so strong, we can't reach anyone on our communicators. We can't contact home, the transports, or the security droids."

The man sighed.

"We may need to reset the system, switch to the secondary band. We should have communications restored soon. In the meantime we have switched the droids into independent mode; they will protect the children if anything is amiss."

"Can the droids receive that order through the interference?" she asked.

"If they don't hear from us in five minutes they will switch over automatically, there is nothing to worry about."

Jas pursed his lips.

_Nothing to worry about?_

He reached out with the Force, trying to get an idea of what was going on.

He shivered, feeling a sudden disturbance.

He looked up at the silent loudspeaker.

That sound?

The officer had called it an unknown transmission, something connected to the planets alert system…one that was too strong, and was now blocking communications…

…or **jamming **them.

He didn't hesitate; he did not speak with anyone. He simply turned and made his way to the upper deck. Guests were not allowed up there, but it did have several speeder bikes on standby if someone needed to head down to reach the students, to recall them to their shuttles.

He decided to do just that.

If this was all some misunderstanding, some error with the planet's comm systems, he would apologize to the nobles later, but if it was not?

Well, he would need to see for himself.

As he made his way up he noticed he was being followed, he suspected it was one of the ship's security people; he turned ready to tell them to return to their duties.

Char Valenthyne stood before him, her eyes cold; her manner all business.

"What is going on, hotshot? You seem to be in a bit of hurry."

"It may be nothing," he said, "return to the party, I'll be back soon."

She sneered at him.

"You think I'm just going to wait here, leave Vess out there alone and unprotected, fat chance."

Her eyes narrowed her eyes becoming predatory.

"You sense something don't you? Those Jedi magics of yours have picked up on something?'

"Maybe," he admitted, not wanting to lie to her, "It is probably nothing."

"Or it could be something, couldn't it?"

"Maybe," he said.

Val started to move past him.

"We have to hurry," the two said in unison.

"I'm driving."

They both looked at each other, not sure what was happening.

This was the second time they had done that, spoke together in the same inflection and in the exact same words.

Strange.

Jas smiled, they didn't have time to discuss what was happening.

They didn't have time to waste.

"Ladies first," he said gesturing for her to go on ahead.

Val chuckled.

"Well, since there are no ladies here, I guess you mean me."

She stepped past him.

"Come on, hotshot, I think we have work to do."

Jas shrugged and followed in her wake.

"As you say, protector," he replied.

"As you say."


	30. The Pursuit

**Chapter 30: The Pursuit**

"Here, you will need this," Val said, shoving a parka into Jas' arms.

He nodded and slipped it on quickly, the two of them stood before the hatch that led up onto the sail barge's top deck. Guests and guard were not supposed to be up here, but given what was happening, they had no choice.

It was on the top deck that the speeder bikes were stowed, Jas had heard several return and launch again since they had left for the North Mountains.

He and Val would need one right now; it would be the fastest way to reach the students, to reach Vess.

He hoped they were not too late.

"Aren't you going to need one?" he asked, "The cold out there…"

"This armor has thermal functions," Val informed him, pointing at the combat suit she was wearing, "It will protect me against the cold, at least for a few hours, and besides..."

She smiled.

"I'm tougher than I look."

She handed him an earpiece, it was similar to the one he wore when he was back home, at the organization's main base.

"This will allow us to remain in contact, in case we get separated. It functions on a different band than the planetary alert system, so it shouldn't be affected by the jamming.

Jas nodded popping it into his ear.

It was nice to see that he wasn't the only one to reach the conclusion that the unknown transmission blocking their comms was a jamming signal, though he should not have been surprised.

Char Valenthyne was as sharp as a vibro-blade, and she was bound and determined to protect her mistress.

Vess could not ask for a better guardian.

The protector flung open the hatch and the two quickly bounded onto the main deck, the icy mountain breeze stung their faces as they made their way aft. The cold hit them like a slap in the face; it embraced them, trying to get into their bones.

Jas did his best to ignore it. He would not let the freezing temperature daunt him. If the Force needed him to act, he would be ready. Val was equally defiant, the Protector from Bantoon didn't even acknowledge the weather; she remained focused on reaching her mistress, no matter the cost.

They were surrounded by sailors, but no one made a move to stop, or even acknowledge them. The crew of the ship labored in silence, their thermal suits, goggles, and masks hiding their features as they went about their business.

So far they had not noticed the two, or cared if they did, the men were focused on keeping the ship running, and the nobles below happy.

Jas hoped that it stayed that way.

The speeder bikes were stored aft, the launching racks pointing out over both the port and starboard sides. The ship contained slots for eight of the vehicles, but at that moment, there was only a single bike docked, waiting to be launched.

Jas frowned.

That would complicate matters, two people _**could **_ride on one of these, but the extra weight would slow it down considerably.

Speed was what they needed right now.

One of the crew finally noticed them, the man turned from where he had been working and came up to them.

"You shouldn't be up here," he told them, trying to be heard over the wind. "Please return to the lower decks, everything is under control."

Val, not in the mood for arguments, glared at the sailor.

"We need this bike," she informed him, "Stand aside, please."

"I'm afraid these vehicles are for official use only," the man replied, his features hidden behind his goggles and cold weather mask.

"You would need proper authorization to use it. If you return below, I can send a request to the captain. I'm sure he will…"

Jas frowned.

They had no time for this.

Val tensed; it was not hard to imagine her striking the poor man. He could see the tension in her arms, the way her hands curled into angry fists.

One did not need the Force to predict what was about to happen.

He stepped in front of her, he sensed her anger, but she did not try to push him out of the way.

He smiled at the sailor.

There were alternatives to fighting, after all.

"We have authorization," he said waving his hand in front of the sailor, reaching out with the power of the Force.

The man shuddered slightly, Jas could imagine him blinking as the Force washed over him.

"You have authorization," the sailor said, his voice a flat monotone.

"You should help us prepare the bike for launch. We're in a hurry."

"I should help you get this thing ready to move, you're in a hurry."

"There is no need to inform anyone, the captain will understand."

"No need to tell anyone, the captain will understand."

The man turned away from them, walked up to the bike and began entering the commands on the nearby panel that would allow it to launch.

Val watched the two men, dumbfounded by what she was seeing.

"What was that?" she asked Jas.

He shrugged.

"The Force can have a powerful influence on the weak minded."

The protector frowned.

"You better think twice before you try that stunt on me, Not a Jedi."

He laughed nervously.

"As I said, it only works on the _**weak**_ minded," he said with a dismissive smile.

"I doubt I would be able to get past that iron will of yours."

Val sniffed and nodded, accepting what he had said.

Jas stifled a sigh of relief.

The truth was that he had already gotten inside of Val's head once. It had been the only way to save her seven years ago. If he had not done it, she likely would have shot herself when she first learned of Queen Annara's death.

He had done what was needed that day. It had been the only way to reach the woman, to save her life.

The Force had aided them, but he understood her comment, why she, like so many others in the galaxy, didn't like the fact that a Jedi could manipulate a person with so little effort.

It was not an easy thing for most people to accept, how quickly and completely their defenders could alter their opinions with a wave of a hand.

In his eyes, the people had a right to be concerned.

Such powers were open for abuse, if a Jedi did not remain mindful.

Normally he frowned on using the Force to get what he wanted, saving such tactics only as a last resort, but he feared that he was in the minority.

Since rejoining the order, he had seen too many Jedi be far too free with the art of Force persuasion. They used it on other people with barely a second thought, and over the most trivial of matters. Master Vey had commented on it to several of her fellow masters. She found the temptation to use the Force in such a way as a problem that the order needed to address.

Yes, persuasion helped, and it made things easier, he would not deny that, but at the same time it did little to endure the order to the rest of the galaxy.

Force persuasion was not a dark side ability, not really, but it was open for abuse by those that thought because they **could** do something, then they **should** do something.

Having such control could lead to a dark place.

He made no further comment about it to Val. He would explain later if she asked about it. For now, it was good that they had clearance to take the bike and get moving.

There was no time to waste.

He approached the vehicle, about to sit down at the control.

The speeder bike was a standard military model; Jas had seen many in his travels. He had never rode one himself, but was confident that he could master the controls soon enough.

"You don't need to," Val said, when he mentioned it, "I've rode bikes like this before. I'll drive, you just hang on tight."

She slipped onto the bike and began pressing buttons and pulling switches. Jas settled in behind her, putting his arms around her waist.

Beneath them the bike rumbled to life. Val pulled a pair of goggled from one handle bars, slipping them on, preparing for launch. The sailor that Jas had persuaded to help them handed him a set as well, warning him about the dangers of getting hit in the eyes by something while moving at high speeds.

The man stepped back and put his hands on a large lever, the control to release the bike from the rack; he shouted if Val was ready, she nodded eagerly, ready to get moving.

The man pulled the lever down, and the bike shot from the deck of the Sail barge, launching into the open air. Char Valenthyne gunned the engine while firing the bike's repulsors.

Val and Jas blasted away from the ship. The sworn protector banked hard, bringing them about and heading off in the direction that the shuttles carrying Vess and her friends had gone, blowing past the other bikes that were acting as the barge's outriders.

The launch had taken Jas' breath away, the sudden drop leaving his stomach back on the sail barge. He tightened his grip around Val's waist, not enough to hurt her, but to make damn sure that he didn't get tossed off.

He watched as they dipped closer to ground, a light snow stung their faces as they shot across the icy landscape.

His thoughts turned to the students, not Just Vess, but her friends as well.

If they were in danger, he hoped that he and Val would be able to help.

Jas was still not entirely sure how they were going to find them, it was a big mountain after all, and there had been a lot of shuttles.

He put his trust in the young woman sitting in front of him. Val seemed to have a plan; he put his faith in her. He knew that Vess' life mattered more to Val than her own.

Together they would be able to keep the girl safe.

As he leaned in closer, her could not help but notice the smell of her hair, and how warm her body was, even in battle armor.

He swallowed hard.

Despite the danger that they might be riding into, he found himself remembering that night, THEIR night. He could almost picture her, the way she had been that night, the smell of her hair, the taste of sweet liquor on her lips, and the warmth of her bare skin as their bodies were moving together in a…

He shivered.

It had been a long time since he had been this close to Val, or any woman for that matter...

…Far too long.

Mmm," Val said into their comlink, her voice loud in his ear, "Feels like someone is happy to see me."

It took him a second to figure out what she meant, but when he did, he blushed.

"Sorry," he murmured, "I'm not trying…"

"We will talk later," she said, "First, we have to reach Vess.

He nodded.

Yeah, he thought.

They had to reach Vess.

He hoped they wouldn't be too late.

Val tried to contact Lady Dorma back on the sail barge, but got only static for her trouble. It seemed that they only had short range communication. Jas was amazed their ear pieces still worked.

Perhaps, it is nothing, he thought, perhaps there is just a problem with the planetary alert system, some droid messed up and boosted the signal strength too high.

Perhaps they would arrive and find the students at play, with not a problem in sight.

It was nice to think about, but sadly, Jas doubted it.

The Force would not have been so insistent if it was nothing.

It would be nice to think this was all some misunderstanding, or error, but sadly, he doubted it.

Too much was happening right now to accept this was all a coincidence. The Jedi, the mining guild, Vess' Aunt and Uncle, he would feel better when Vess was safely on her way back to House Rist.

The speeder passed two of the security probes, neither of the droids challenged their passing; in fact they didn't even try hailing them. It was suspicious behavior to be sure, these droids were supposed to be protecting the students.

If the droids were not responding, anyone could get close to those kids, anyone and anything.

Jas frowned.

He had bad feeling about this.

IOI

Char Valenthyne brought the bike over the next rise; it was then that they finally got their first glimpse at the students.

Jas pursed his lips.

Three of the shuttles were docked on a rocky outcropping, Jas counted at least thirty young people either skiing down the slopes or making their way back to the top.

He saw no danger here, but at the same time, he did not see Vess either, her black snow suit would have stood out among her brightly dressed peers.

They saw three more security droids, and again the probes ignored them, they didn't even try to warn off the protector and her companion.

It was another bad sign.

"They could be in standby mode," Jas suggested, "Waiting for comms to be reestablished?"

"Maybe," Char Valenthyne agreed, "Still…"

She looked down at her wrist. Jas noticed for the first time that Val had some device there, it had a blinking red light, beeping and pointing to their left. The Protector banked the bike again, now the red light was pointing ahead of them.

"A tracker," Jas asked, "Connected to Vess?"

Val nodded.

"You think that I would let my queen out of my sight without one? "

He said nothing, simply held on as Val hit the accelerator.

The bike shot passed the students below, a few might of looked up as the passed, but they were gone before anyone could really notice.

They passed over two more groups, once again, seeing no problems; just a bunch of rich kids playing the snow."

Jas frowned.

Perhaps they had been wrong about this, there didn't seem to be any problems. They…

There was another group up ahead, Jas could see that something was going on, the kids were lining up in front of the shuttles.

Val made for them, her tracker beeping and pointing straight ahead.

She brought the bike down bringing it to a skidding stop near one group of the students.

One of them, a dark skinned girl in a purple thermal suit stepped up to the bike. Jas recognized her from earlier; she had been in the group with Vess and her friends.

She smiled at them.

"Miss Valenthyne?" the girl said.

"Hello Lia," Val said pleasantly, "You haven't happened to see Vess by chance? Her aunt has a message for her."

"No," the girl said shaking her head, "The last time I saw her she was talking to Mister Mimm. He said he wanted to discuss some project that he wanted her help with."

"Mimm is one of Vess'' teachers," Val clarified for Jas, "He is one of the chaperones."

"Where did you see them?" Jas asked the girl.

"Over there," she said pointing to the west, Jas saw another shuttle on the far rise, but it was lifting off, two more of the security droids floated serenely nearby.

Could Vess already be leaving? Had the sail barge managed to restore communications?

It was at that moment that they heard something, a low hum coming from the east.

He looked up, curious what it was. It didn't sound like a shuttle or a speeder bike.

They cleared one of the smaller mountain peaks flying in a v-shaped formation. Seven small single passenger vehicles, Hook shaped, with a platform halfway up, leading to a central steering column.

Jas frowned.

_What is this,_ he thought.

_Where did those come from?_

"What are those?" Char Valenthyne asked him.

"Aerial Patrol Platforms," he answered, "APPs for short."

He shook his head.

APPs were a common enough sight in the galaxy, good all-purpose patrol craft. Coop owned six of the machines himself, and Jas had ridden on one more than once, usually when preparing a site for some meet with this client or that.

Faster and more maneuverable than a speeder bike, they worked well in harsh conditions, but they did take a bit of skill to ride.

The seven men riding these seemed more than up to the challenge, they easily held formation, and…

Jas' frown deepened.

They were accelerating, moving in hard and fast.

BRRRRRM!

BRRRM! BRRRM!

The ground shook beneath their feet.

"What was that?" the girl Lia asked startled, "Thunder?"

No, Jas thought, there was barely a cloud in the sky.

He knew that sound, it was blaster fire, fire from a heavy repeating blaster!

Val whipped the bike around and took off before

The sound had come from where the shuttle they had seen had lifted off, the last place where the girl Lia had seen Vess.

Above them the APPs continued on, heading in the same direction that Val and Jas were.

They ignored the bike completely, totally focused on where ever they were going.

Val brought the speeder on the same vector, making for where the shuttle they had seen had taken off, the two droids floating nearby, rotated towards them.

They opened fire!

"WHOA!" Jas nearly fell off as Val went evasive; she fired the heavy cannon mounted under their bike.

One of the droid's exploded, the second banked away quickly as they shot past.

As the bike reached the spot where the shuttle had taken off, they noticed something laying in the snow, a green shape standing out starkly against the white landscape.

The body was laying face up in the snow, his arms and legs splayed out, his chest a smoking mess.

Jas had only been able to notice that by using the Force, slowing down his perceptions. There was no sign of Vess, he didn't.

**TIP! TIP! TIP! TIP!**

**KR-KOOMM!**

The snow to their left exploded, the APPs had reached their target. Normally, such machines were lightly armed, but these had been modified, their steering column had been replace with a pair of duel blaster cannons

They hammered the snow, moving in on a lone figure trying to ski away, three of the security droids floated around the person, not firing on the APPs, but showing them where the person was, guiding them to their target.

Vess.

"Damn it," Val snarled.

"Damn it all to hell!"

She gunned the bike, squeezing the fire stud on the handle bars.

The cannon barked but it could not track the faster patrol vehicles.

The APPs blew past with ease; two more security droids came over nearest mountain, and fired their own cannon.

They were targeting Val and Jas!

The protector went evasive again, but tried to stay on course, pursuing the APPs.

The security droids dropped in behind the protector and her ally.

Jas drew his lightsaber, he ignited the blade.

The droids fired.

His block wasn't the best, but he did manage to deflect one of the shots, it sent the droid's bolt back and into its repulsor lift, the droid fell from the sky, tumbling into the snow, it hit hard and rolled, breaking apart with each rolling bounce.

"Get us higher!" Jas shouted, "We can't let that droid get above us!"

The bike shot up into the air, Jas nearly lost his lightsaber as they went into almost a vertical climb.

The security droid tried to follow, but its blaster was out of position, its bottom mounted repulsor not up to making a fast climb.

Val whipped the bike around, the force of the turn making Jas grimace.

The bike was now moving backward, its front end, and cannon, now pointed at the rising droid.

Two shots later, the droid broke apart and began its slow fall down into the snow.

"YOU OFFWORLDERS AND YOUR DROIDS!" Val hissed, "I HATE DROIDS!"

Jas did not dignify that with an answer.

At the moment, he was not overly fond of the security droids either. They were.

He looked down.

"Val stop!" he called out.

"What?' she demanded.

"STOP! HOLD HERE!"

The protector killed the accelerator, leaving only the repulsor functioning.

The speeder bike floated a hundred feet above the snowy terrain.

Jas' eyes narrowed as he followed what was going on below him.

The seven APPs were banking moving back and forth. It seemed that they had lost their target.

Jas reached out with the Force.

_Hang on, Vess,_ he thought.

_Hold on, we're coming!_

"What are we doing?" Val demanded.

"Jas? What is going on?!"

"We're too slow," he murmured, "We're carrying too much weight!"

"We can't just sit here," Val said her voice rising towards panic, "We have to save Vess! I have to save Vess!"

"Wait," Jas said, "Just…wait."

"Why? What's going on?!"

"Do you trust me, Val?"

Jas? I…?"

"Do you trust me?"

Val whimpered, her fear for her mistress shining her green eyes.

"Yeah, with my life."

He smiled.

"Good," he murmured, "Just a few more seconds…"

"Jas what are you…?"

Now.

He let himself fall off the back of the bike; he fell down and into the cold air. He splayed his arms and legs, slowing his descent.

He could hear Val yelling into his earpiece, he ignored it for the moment.

He needed to concentrate. He…

He grinned.

There.

One of the APPs was passing beneath him, its pilot too caught up in the hunt to pay attention to what was going on above him.

Jas used the Force to grasp the vehicle, not enough to stop it dead, but to slow it down just enough.

He flipped in midair and brought his leg around.

CRACK!

His boot caught the APP pilot in the chin, the force of the kick snapping the man's neck. He tumbled off his vehicle, falling down into the distant snow. It was a regrettable death, but a necessary one.

Jas sighed.

Unfortunate, he thought, but necessary.

The Force slowed his perception of events just enough, even as he used it to slow his fall.

He came down right where he needed to, right on the pilot's platform of the now rider-less APP.

The fall was a bit jarring, but he recovered quickly, and gunned the vehicle's engine, he shot away, and came around for another pass in the valley.

"Val," he called into his comlink, "You still there?"

"OF COURSE I'M STILL HERE YOU CRAZY MURGLAK! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"

"That this fight is now two against six," he replied, matter of factly, "Far better odds, don't you think?"

He heard her curse under her breath.

"You're crazy, you know that right?"

He chuckled.

Probably.

The remaining APPs had stopped firing on the snow, the pilots had realized that they were no longer alone up here; they began to form up, driving hard towards Jas and Val.

"The protector brought her bike alongside Jas' vehicle. Now that it did not have to carry two, the bike was almost a match for the Aerial Patrol Platforms in the speed department, and as an added bonus, the bike's cannon was a lot heavier weapon than those carried by the APPs.

"Let's clear these guys out," Val hissed, her anger radiating out through the Force.

"If we can draw them away," Jas suggested, "Vess will have time to get to safety."

"I'm not interested in drawing them away," Val snarled.

Her cannon fired.

The APPS broke ranks and sped past them.

Jas and Val came around for another pass.

"Target the repulsor lift on the bottom of the hook," Jas advised her, "The armor is _weakest_ there."

She acknowledged by firing again, one of the APPs was struck, it tumbled over and exploded in the snow, throwing up a plume of flame and white.

_Five on two_, Jas thought.

_I'm starting to like these odds._

He knew he should not enjoy combat, it was not the Jedi way, but he had also been raised by Mandalorians, they viewed combat as an art, and art should be done well.

Given his history it was hard not to enjoy at least some aspect of combat, especially knowing what these people had been trying to do.

He reached out with the Force, he could sense Vess below, even as she hid from the rogue security droids, she was aware that she was no longer alone, that help had come.

_We're here kid_, Jas thought into the Force, hoping that the girl would hear him.

In that moment he felt a sense of surprise, surprise and happiness.

In his mind's eye, he got a glimpse of Vess her lovely blue eyes wide with surprise.

"Mister Jas?" she murmured.

He smiled, happy to hear her voice.

"Don't worry kid," he whispered into the ether.

_We're here._

_Help has arrived._


End file.
